


Free Samples

by babykpats



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cybersex, Fluff and Angst, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Smut, Texting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-04-05 18:53:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 21,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4191099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babykpats/pseuds/babykpats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mickey's stolen phone keeps receiving random texts from an unknown number.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning:  
> Mature Language (aka. Mickey Language)  
> Homophobic Word (yes, singular. I used it just once so yall can calm your underwear down.)  
> Reference to Suicide (it was used lightly, pinky swear)

Mickey was laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling, silently ordering his tear ducts to quit it.      

When his phone rang, his heart jumped and he immediately grabbed it. He frowned when it wasn't who he wanted it to be.

He ignored the beeping and went back to wallowing in self-pity. 

He just got dumped.

It was kind of funny in a slit-your-wrists kind of way.

He grew up telling himself not to give his heart away and he was fine. Then a dumb redheaded freak had to enter his life and suddenly he started offering his heart like a pimply teen offering free samples at the fucking food court.

Stupid.

That was what Mickey was. Completely and utterly, fucking disgustingly and hopelessly stupid.

And it hurt like a fucking bitch.

Mickey wiped his tears with the back of his hand and carried on staring at the ceiling.

Beep.

Mickey jumped up again and grabbed his phone.

Unknown Number: Can you fucking answer the phone, asshole?

Mickey frowned and dropped the phone onto the floor.

He stole the phone a few days ago from some beanie-wearing-tea-drinking hipster at one of the new coffee shops that opened a few blocks away.

He hated the place but he couldn't deny that he got the best shit from the pockets of their patrons.                                                              

Since he got the phone, he's been receiving random texts and calls from an unknown number.

Beep.

Mickey jumped for the phone once again.

Unknown Number: You're an asshole.

Mickey rolled his eyes and returned the phone to its spot on the floor along with the cigarette butts and empty beer bottles.

It was strange to Mickey how alone he felt.

He never really thought he'd miss that stupid face with the stupid freckles and the stupid alien looking expressions he'd get.

Mickey sighed and closed his eyes. Maybe that will make the stupid tears go away.

Beep.

Mickey ignored it this time.

~

Riiiiiiiing!

Mickey opened his eyes and frowned.

He grabbed the phone from where he left it earlier and squinted his eyes at the screen. 

It was 3 in the fucking morning and the stupid unknown number was calling again.

Mickey was pissed. He swiped the little green icon on the screen to accept the call and give the person on the other line a piece of his mind. But before he could say anything, the man beat him to it.

"Ohmyfuckinggod. Finally! What the hell happened to you? Been trying to reach you all day!"

Mickey was about to say something but he decided to keep his mouth shut,  curious if the man would say anything else.

"Hello? I can hear you breathing, asshole."

Mickey rolled his eyes and hung up. It's the first time in a long while that he'd been able to sleep so, he dropped the phone on his bed laid back down instead of wasting his time on the asshole.

Mickey had been sleeping for all of five minutes when he had a heart attack.

Well not really.

But it sure did feel like it. The phone ended up right next to Mickey's ear and that's precisely where it decided to unleash it's obnoxious ringtone.

Mickey shot up from the bed, heart beating like a motherfucker, and looked around. He turned livid once his eyes landed on the phone.

He grabbed it, swiped to answer and he didn't even give the asshole a chance to speak first.

"In what fucking planet is it acceptable to make a call in the middle of the fucking night? I don't fucking know how your boyfriend fucking deals with it but can you just find another fucking fag to such your dick and let me have my fucking sleep."

"Um... who's this?"

Mickey scoffed. "The asshole who stole your boyfriend's phone."

Mickey hung up the phone and laid back down.

Beep.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Mickey picked the phone up and read the text.

Unknown Number: He's not my boyfriend, we broke up.

Mickey frowned at the message. Did this asshole think he cares?

Mickey was about to drop the phone back on the floor when a new message came in.

Unknown Number: I saw your selfie, by the way. You're cute.

Mickey's frown grew deeper.

"What the fuck?" He muttered.

Mickey: the fuck you talkin bout

Unknown Number: The photo you took in the bathroom, facing the mirror.

Unknown Number: Nice arms.

Mickey's frown changed from anger to confusion. He took the photo to see how the camera quality was. He's never had a goddamned iPhone before so he wanted to check the shit out.

Mickey: how the fuck did you see that

Unknown Number: Every time you get wifi, it syncs the photos from your phone to mine. My ex set it up. 

"Fuck."

Mickey remembered how he stood outside the coffee place, mooching off their wifi, waiting for the porn to load so he could watch it back home.

Mickey: fuck off.

Unknown Number: Thanks for stealing his phone, by the way.

Unknown Number: The asshole cheated on me. No wonder he was distant, don't think he'd suck my dick even if my spunk tasted like fucking green tea.

Mickey grinned.

Mickey: he looks like a hobo

Unknown Number: Haha! Yeah, you're definitely cuter than him though.

Mickey felt his cheeks get warm. 

Mickey: shut up

Mickey dropped the phone on the bed and laid back down. It was stupid and childish and fucking idiotic and incredibly irrational but he felt giddy. This stranger thought he was cute.

Mickey started drifting back to sleep, his stupid ex momentarily forgotten. 

Beep.

Unknown Number: I'm Ian, by the way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning:  
> Mickey Language  
> Something with saving imaginary dolphins  
> Recreational drug use (almost forgot this one. I think I'm desensitized to drug use. I forget that it's still mostly illegal)

“No fucking way! Where’d you get this!?”

Mickey opened his eyes and immediately shot off the bed when he saw Mandy fiddling with his stolen phone.

“Give me that!” Mickey said, grabbing it back.

“I want one too!” Mandy said, eyeing Mickey’s phone with jealousy.

“Get your own, bitch.”

“What do you want for it? I got some nitrous?”

“Fuck off.”

Mandy let out a deep sigh. “Fucking fine! I’ll give you a baggy of Iggy’s weed.”

Mickey immediately looked up and grinned. Iggy, for the dumbfuck that he is, had the best weed that they’ve ever had, expensive too.  “Two baggies and I’ll have your phone by the end of the day.”

“Deal.”

~

Mickey looked into the coffee shop from the other side of the street. He needed to make sure there were different people behind the counter and that Ian’s ex-boyfriend wasn’t there.

Once it was all clear, he walked in.

“Mick?"

Mickey slowly turned around.

Mickey felt like he was punched. No, not punched. He felt like he was run over by a fucking monster truck.

“The fuck you doing here?” Mickey kept his face neutral and hoped to fucking heck that he looked annoyed, or bored at the very least. He didn’t even care if he looked constipated or like he had to pee or something, as long as he didn’t look like he was still sad over their breakup.

“I could ask you the same thing.” The fucker even had the audacity to smile fondly at Mickey.

Mickey just raised an eyebrow, not trusting himself to speak.

His ex chuckled. “We’re helping to save the dolphins.”

Mickey frowned. “The fuck?”

“Yup. For a $10 donation, you can help clear the ocean from all the trash and help save a dolphin’s life.”

Mickey looked behind his ex to where he had a table set up and saw his brother smiling and handing out flyers. The moment Mickey realized what was happening, he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. These fuckers had some balls.

“We’re always open for new volunteers.” He waggled his eyebrows at Mickey.

Mickey needed the money and this con looked fool-proof so, when he said yes, it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he’ll get to spend the rest of the day with his ex.

~                                                                                                                   

Mickey never realized how fucking dumb hipsters can be.

They were standing in the alley beside the coffee shop, splitting the donations they managed to collect.

“The sob story about your trip to fucking Hawaii was priceless, Milkovich.” His ex’s brother handed him the biggest wad of money Mickey has ever touched.

Mickey chuckled and nodded his thanks.

“So, where you headed?”

Mickey looked up into his ex’s eyes. Before he could say something he’d regret, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Ian: Hey asshole. If you don’t text me your address now, I’m gonna throw out all the crap you left at my place.

Ian: Shit, sorry, forgot.

Ian: Can you give me your name? Your number’s still saved under my ex’s name.

“Who’s that?”

“Just some guy.” Mickey muttered, grinning to himself. When he looked up to the ginger’s eyes, he saw something that fucking pissed him off. He could be wrong, Mickey rarely was, but he saw a flash of jealousy cross his ex’s eyes.

“You dating already?” If Mickey didn’t know him very well, then he wouldn’t have seen the sad look under the indifferent façade.

Mickey just shrugged. “I gotta go. Promised Mandy I’d get her a new phone.” Mickey said, patting his other pocket. He even stole the pink gold one that he knew Mandy would like.

The two brothers nodded and Mickey just kept walking away before he changed his mind. He pulled out his phone and shot off a text to Ian.

Mickey: mickey milkovich

~

With the amount he got yesterday, Mickey figured he can afford a couple of rest days before having to find another way to get some cash.

He was just fucking around on his phone when he got a notification saying he needed to get an internet connection so he could continue playing the game. Mickey huffed and shrugged. Not like he had anything better to do anyway.

Once Mickey found a decent wifi connection, he got a message from Mandy. She was at work at the dumb diner and he got a selfie of Mandy, squirrel hat and all.

Mickey chuckled.

Mickey: what the fuck do squirrels have to do with waffles anyway

Mandy: im sure they eat waffles

Mickey rolled his eyes.

Mickey: yeah cause pancakes are too boring

Mandy: and theyd totally drown in a bowl of cereal

Mickey chuckled. He opened the camera, took a picture of himself flipping the bird and sent it off to Mandy.

Mandy: sexy

~

It was late at night, or early in the morning - Mickey didn't know nor did he give a shit at this point, and Mickey was still up smoking Iggy’s weed. He spent so much time taking long ass naps that left him mildly disoriented but extremely well-rested. 

Beep!

Mickey frowned and looked at his phone, which was all the way across his room, on his couch. He killed the joint on the empty-beer-bottle-turned-ashtray resting on his bedside table and plopped his ass on the couch before checking the phone. He squinted at the sudden brightness assaulting his eyeballs and checked the clock. Huh. It was only 7PM.

He opened the text.

Ian: Your sister’s pretty.

Mickey: youre a fuckin stalker you know that

Ian: Not my fault.

Ian: What does your knuckle tattoo say?

Mickey frowned.

Mickey: what

Ian: I mean, I could see the C on your middle finger. What does the rest say?

Mickey rolled his eyes.

Mickey: dont you have a fuckin life

Ian: At the moment, not really. Stupid job sucking the life outta me.

Mickey frowned, checking the time again.

Mickey: you a hooker or something?

Ian: Haha! Nah man. Work in customer service.

Mickey: like a call center

Ian: Yeah, shift does't start until 6 but I'm so fucking over it, honestly.

Mickey: aint you an hour late already or some shit

Ian: Fuck, I forgot. You're from Chicago, I'm guessing?

Mickey: you aint

Ian: Nah. Cali, born and raised. Just remembered that my ex is over there for work shit.

Riiiiing!

Mickey looked at the phone with a confused look on his face. He had no idea why the fuck this man was calling him.

Mickey swiped to answer. “The fuck you want?”

“Hi! How are you! Haven't seen you in a while! I know, we should get together! Does Tuesday work? No? How about Wednesday? Hm. Thursday? How about Friday?”

“How about go fuck yourself?” Mickey answered, completely confused.

Ian chuckled. “How about Saturday? That’s great.”

Then, Ian suddenly became silent.

“Did you finally fucking short-circuit or something?” Mickey muttered.

Ian laughed. “No, there’s this dude who’s been checking me out ever since I started working here. Comes up to me and talks and shit. Freaks me out.”

“You sound like a fucking pussy.”

There was that laugh again. “Nah. Dude just happens to be my supervisor, he got wind of the breakup and pounced.”

“Can't you fucking report that shit?”

“Nah. Fuck! He’s here again.” Ian whispered harshly. “Can you check next week to see if you're open to hang then?” Ian said in a too-loud voice.

Mickey grinned. “How bout you check your ass to see if there’s an opening there.”

Ian howled with laughter.

Mickey couldn’t help but join in.

“You’re a fucker, aren’t you?” Ian said in between bouts of laughter.

“He’s gone?”

“Yup!” Ian answered still reeling in from the hysterics.

“Good. I'ma go.”

“Alright. Thanks man.”

“Anytime.”

Mickey settled back into his bed and for the second night in a row, Mickey fell asleep with a smile on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the Mandy and Mickey part.  
> And of course the Mickey and Ian part.
> 
> Can someone give me a name for Mickey's ex and Ian's ex?  
> My brain can't come up with a decent one.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for everyone who helped out naming the exes. I'm so tempted to make them all like Jimmy-Steve-Jack just so I can use all the names you gave.
> 
> But I don't even know if I'm gonna keep the exes in the story so for now, they shall remain nameless.

Mickey was not a very smart man.

Nope!

But when Mickey really thought about it, it wasn't really his fault. I mean why the fuck would a BB Gun manufacturer make their toys look so much like real fucking guns?

Mickey was sitting on the living room couch fucking around with a BB Gun when Iggy came through the back door. So, Mickey decided to celebrate his arrival by shooting him squarely on his chest.

"Ow!" Iggy rubbed the sore spot.

Mickey grinned and shot him again.

"Fucking quit it asshole!" Iggy cursed.

Mickey's grin grew bigger and started shooting Iggy nonstop on the stomach.

"Motherfucker!" Iggy was pissed. So he walked over to the dining table, picked up a BB Gun and shot Mickey in the leg.

Except it wasn't a BB Gun.

"FUCK!! What the fuck Iggy!?"

"Holy shit!!" Iggy ran towards Mickey and just fucking stared at him.

Mickey, despite the pain, marveled at his brother's stupidity. "Take me to the fucking hospital, asswipe!"

And that was how Mickey ended up in the hospital.

The only consolation being the hospital's awesome wifi connection.

~

Mickey picked up his phone and, out of boredom, swiped through the photo gallery. He could tell the phone was pretty new cause it only had three pictures on it, before the ones Mickey got.

All three photos were ones of cats.

Fucking hipsters. 

Mickey swiped through all his own photos when he found five photos of a strange man.

He was making dumb faces at the camera in what looked like a reception area of a fancy place.

Mickey grinned.

He finally got to see what Ian looks like.

Despite the fact that he looked a lot like another ginger Mickey now hated, Ian wasn't too bad to look at.

After a couple of minutes, a new photo of Ian appeared. It was still a selfie but this time, it looked like Ian was in bed.

For lack of anything better to do, Mickey opened the Messaging app.

Mickey: how the hell do you turn off the syncing shit

Mickey: tired of seeing your fucking face pop up every five seconds

Ian: Hi Mick!

Mickey rolled his eyes.

Ian: I don't even know how to turn it off. My ex was the one who set it all up.

Ian: Oh shit!

Ian: Sorry for all the selfies. Got really bored at work.

Mickey: your stalker wasnt entertaining enough

Ian: Oh don't even joke about that. He came back like three times trying to chat me up! I would've called you up again. 

Mickey: why didnt you

Ian: Really? You won't yell at me like the first time I called?

Mickey: who fucking calls someone in the middle of the fucking night

Ian: Well you're the one who stole the phone so that's all on you.

Mickey: fuck off

Mickey checked his watch. 3-fucking-AM. He sighed. Hospitals gave him the creeps and being awake during the fucking witching hour just freaked him out all the more. Texting Ian was a nice enough distraction though.

Mickey: what are you doing up at ass o' clock am

Ian: I promised my sister I'll supervise my younger sister's sleepover. 

Mickey: sounds like hell

Ian: Nah. It's all good.

Ian: Plus, one of my sister's friends has this really hot older brother and I'm pretty sure he'll be the one who'll pick her up tomorrow.

Ian: He's like perfectly my type.

Mickey chuckled.

Mickey: lemme guess he wears a beanie and whatever the fuck else thats totally inappropriate for the cali weather

Mickey: like a fucking scarf

Mickey: he has ten million cats with freaky names like gastov or fucking stella

Mickey: and he rides a bike to be environmentally conscious or some bullshit.

Ian: OMG. LOL. You just perfectly described my ex.

Ian: I'm literally laughing out loud right now.

Mickey smiled at the thought that he made Ian laugh.

Ian: But no seriously, he's fucking hot. Hang on.

A few seconds later, he received a photo from Ian. 

Mickey frowned.

Okay, he was hot. Like Abercrombie-model-hot. They'd make one of those disgustingly cute gay couples you pretend to hate but then jack off to. Hell, he'd fucking pay to watch these two playing naked twiser.

Mickey: meh

Ian: Oh really? What's your type then?

Mickey: the fuck do you mean my type

Ian: Like, what do you look for in a guy?

Mickey: are you calling me a fag

Ian: Oh stop it. I know you're gay.

Mickey raised his eyebrow.

Mickey: how the fuck would you know

Ian: I don't want to tell you.

Ian: You'll call me a stalker again.

He wants to play it like that? Fine. Mickey closed the app. He fucked around on his phone for a bit before deciding that he probably needed to tell Mandy what happened. Considering how late/early it was, he settled on just sending her a text.

Mickey: hey bitch im in the hospital

Not even five seconds have passed when Mickey got a phone call from his sister.

"Mickey what the fuck? Are you okay?"

"Jesus, calm your tits. I'm fine. Iggy shot me in the leg cause he couldn't fucking tell the difference between a BB Gun and a fucking shotgun."

"You guys are fucking idiots you know that?"

"Born and raised motherfucker."

Mandy chuckled. "Is it bad? Can I see?"

"Nowhere as near as what Terry fucking did so I'm good."

Mandy sighed. "Alright."

"The fuck you doing up anyway?"

"Manager's being a bitch and put me up for the late shift. When are you getting out?"

"Fuck if I know."

The phone call ended and Mickey tapped to open the camera app.

He shot a picture of his leg. It was wrapped in bandages so you can't really see the bullet wound but he was bleeding pretty badly so the blood stains were all there.

He sent it off to Mandy just as a message came in from Ian.

Ian: FINE! It's not only the photos that do the whole syncing thing. It's also the Internet history.

Mickey's eyes grew in shock. He immediately thought back to all the crap he had searched for.

Ian: Is it weird that I started watching the same porn as you do?

Oh hell no. This was getting way too fucked up for Mickey's taste.

He locked the phone and threw the offending object further down his bed.

He felt exposed and embarrassed and just generally vulnerable and he hated it.

His phone beeped a couple of times before Mickey caved and picked it up again. 

I mean there's only so much you can do alone in a hospital room, right?

Ian: Did that freak you out? Sorry.

Ian: Hang on, I'll Google how you can get rid of the syncing shit.

Ian: If it makes you feel any better, you do have access to my history as well.

Mickey's face slowly split into a wide grin. He tapped the Internet app and figured out how to see Ian's history.

Mickey: what the fuck 

Mickey: you like watching men getting fucked by a fucking machine

Ian: Shit. 

Ian: Can you ignore that, please? 

Mickey: no fucking way

Mickey: please tell me you have a fucking boner for the man getting fucked and not the fucking robo-dick

Mickey: unless youre into that sort of shit

Mickey: do you get hot and bothered grinding on household appliances

Mickey: do you spend your nights jerking off to the home shopping network

Ian: Oh shut the fuck up, Mickey.

Mickey: aint nothing you can say to shut me up, mr. 'buttfuck machine boys'

Ian: Oh I know exactly what to say to shut you up, Mickey Milkovich.

Mickey frowned.

Ian: I just found it extremely amusing when I saw that you searched 'ginger twink top' two days ago.

Mickey was so damn happy that he was alone in the room cause no one was there to witness his slow transformation into a fucking tomato.

Yup, a person can blush  _that_ hard.

Ian: Turns out I'm exactly your type, Mick. ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm the most inconsistent person there ever existed. So in an effort to have some sort of a schedule going, I'll be updating this every Thursday. 
> 
> Let's see how that works out for all of us.
> 
> ~
> 
> This chapter came about cause I just found out that if you log onto your email account or something, you can see your Internet history from another device. (Or something like that. I pretty much made up a bunch of that stuff.)
> 
> Except buttfuck machine boys. That's a real thing. Google it if you're brave enough.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who was I kidding with the once a week thing. Here's the new chapter guys. Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Warning:  
> Lots of cursing  
> And something about crutches/wheelchairs  
> Weed  
> And something else that I don't want to disclose cause it will spoil everything but it's generally violence-related

It was Mickey’s second day in the hospital.

The bed, the heating and the food were great and all but Mickey was just itching to get out. It’d be two more hours until Mandy comes to pick him up.

He felt like a fucking baby waiting around for his fucking sister to pick him up but he couldn’t walk on his own and Iggy promised to steal a pair of crutches for him so he had no choice but to sit and wait.

Mickey picked up his phone.

Ian: What the fuck happened to you? Are you okay?

Mickey: what

Ian: Your leg!

Mickey huffed. This syncing thing was getting really old really quick.

Mickey: idiot brother shot me in the leg

Ian: Intentionally?

Mickey: nah bb gun mistake, i pissed him off

Ian: Shit, man. That's one helluva dumb move.

Mickey rolled his eyes. He knows his family isn’t the most perfect family in the fucking world but he always hated it when people got melodramatic over the stupid shit his brothers did. It’s not like Iggy wanted to kill him.

Ian: I mean if my brother pissed me off, I won’t pick up a BB Gun. I’d fucking beat his ass with my own hands.

Mickey laughed. He did not expect that at all.

Mickey: okay tough guy

Ian: You okay, though, right?

Mickey: yeah waiting for my sister to pick me up

Mickey: cant walk

Ian: Awww… Are you gonna be wheeled around in a wheelchair all day, like a little baby?

Mickey: hell no

Mickey: crutches exist asswipe

Ian: Uh huh. ;)

Mickey: what time is it there

Ian: Little before noon.

Mickey: abercrombie boy there yet

Ian: Abercrombie who?

Ian: Oh, Hot Guy, yup!

Ian: Got a date tonight!

Mickey: wheres he taking you

Mickey: the fuckin gym

Ian: No, asshole. He’s taking me out to dinner. Fancy place 30 minutes away from here.

Mickey: who the fuck drives for 30 minutes to eat

Ian: Cultured people, Mickey. That’s who.

Mickey heard a knock on the door before Mandy’s head popped in.

“Hey, you ready?”

“’Bout fucking time.” Mickey sat up on his bed and swung his legs over the side.

Mandy opened the door wider and Mickey frowned.

“What the fuck is that, Mandy?”

“It’s all we could find.”

“Hell fucking no, bitch.”

“What, you’d rather walk out of here, asshole? Be my fucking guest.”

Mickey frowned, contemplating his options, then, he sighed. “Fucking fine.” Mandy rolled over the beat up old wheelchair and Mickey lifted himself into the seat.

It was a perfectly normal wheelchair, for an old lady. It used to be bright purple but the paint was slowly peeling off. Mickey didn’t know if that made it look better or worse. The fabric on the back and on the seat looked like it used to be pink and Mickey was so happy that the damn thing was dirty.

“I look like a fucking idiot.”

“You look fine.” Mandy answered, biting her lip to control her laughter.

Mickey finally gave in to the ridiculousness of the situation and handed Mandy her phone. “Here, take a picture of me.”

Mandy was only too happy to comply.

Mickey got his phone back and grinned at the photo before sending it off to Ian.

Mickey: this is your fucking fault, firecrotch

~

Mandy was pushing Mickey around on the sidewalk, making their way back home.

“Let’s drop by that store that sells secondhand shit from hospitals.” Mickey said pointing out the way.

“Why? Ohmyfuckinggod Mick, don’t tell me you’re doing heroin!” Mandy stop pushing the wheelchair so abruptly that Mickey almost fell out.

Mickey rolled his eyes. “You’re a dumbfuck, aren’t you? I’m gonna go get me some crutches so I won’t need your skank ass to push me around.”

“How are you gonna sneak out a pair of crutches? Those shit are a bitch to hide.”

Mickey sighed. “I’m gonna fucking buy them then.”

Mandy snorted. “Oh yeah? With what money.”

“Dolphin money.” Mickey chuckled.

“The fuck you talking about?”

“Jake and Sam had this con going on asking hipsters to donate money to save the fucking dolphins. They let me in on it so I think I can afford a couple of crutches.”

“You and Jake, are you…?”

“Fuck if I know, Mands.”

Mandy nodded. She liked Jake, liked how his brother was with him. Mandy and Mickey never really used to talk but when Jake came in, Mandy felt like he got his brother back and she even gained a new one.

“Mick?”

“Yeah?”

“Why’d you break up?”

Mickey frowned.

Mandy kept quiet.

Mickey sighed. “His parents didn’t like me.”

Mandy frowned, waiting for the rest of it. When nothing came, she blew up. “That’s fucking _it_? What the fuck, Mick?!”

“You know how he is with his fucking parents. He’ll do whatever the fuck they say.”

“He’s a fucking pussy.”

~

When Mickey and Mandy got home, Iggy, Collin, Tony and Jamie were all lounging in the living room.

“The fuck is everyone doing here?” Mickey asked.

“Iggy got pizza.” Collin answered, raising his own slice for proof.

Mickey rolled his eyes. His brothers are probably the human equivalent of tiny little ants. Marching over to where the nearest source of food is.

“Can’t believe you need those to walk around, pussy.” Iggy yelled at Mickey.

(Translation: You okay?)

“Yeah, well you’re lucky I didn’t beat your ass for shooting me in the fucking leg, dumbfuck.”

(Translation: You’re an asshole, but I forgive you.)

“Whatever man, if you don’t eat the fucking pizza, I’m finishing it all.”

(Translation: I bought you pizza, go have some.)

Mandy rolled her eyes. She had no idea why her brothers can’t just hug it out and communicate like a normal fucking family.

~

Mickey only got to bed at around buttfuck o' clock in the middle of the damn night.

He was able to make Iggy guilty enough to give them all some of his weed. So, they spent the whole night laying around in the living room and now he was tired.

He dropped himself onto his bed and did some mental timezone calculations.

Ian would probably be just coming home from his date. Or maybe not, depends on how the date went.

Ian was cool, Mickey liked talking to Ian. He found himself looking forward to when Ian will text him next. Despite the fact that all he'll probably get tonight is Ian gushing about his new Ken doll.

At least his spank bank will be fully funded, depending on how detailed Ian got.

Embarrassingly enough, Mickey almost dove for his phone when it beeped.

Ian: Mick?

Mickey: how was fancy dinner with hot guy

Ian: Dinner never happened.

Ian: I met his friends.

Ian: They seemed nice.

Ian: Except for the part where they beat me up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be out soon cause there's a really good prompt I want to do and I want to finish this before that. So, yeah.


	5. Chapter 5

Mickey frowned.

His instinct was telling him to get up off his ass and beat the motherfuckers who did that to Ian. But how the fuck can he? They were on the other side of the fucking country.

Suddenly sober, Mickey called Ian’s phone.

“Mick?”

Mickey didn’t know what to say. Every single relationship he’s had were all wham-bam-thank-you- ~~maam~~ sir. He never really had to talk.

“You okay?” was the best Mickey could come up with.

“Yeah.” Ian’s voice was soft and shaky, lacking the usual confidence that covered his every word.

Mickey sighed. He didn’t know how to do this. He didn’t know how to comfort and make someone feel better with words. But if he learned anything from the shitshow of a relationship he had before, it was that honesty helps get shit done quicker.

“Look, I’m taking shots in the dark here so just tell me how to make you feel better cause it’s gonna be a long fucking time until I figure it out on my own.”

Ian started laughing.

Mickey frowned. “Seriously?! That’s fucking it? That’s all I needed to do?”

Ian’s laughing slowly turned into coughs.

“Woah. Shit, you okay?”

“Yeah.” Ian’s coughs were reduced into tiny little exhales. “Yeah, I’m fine. My body fucking hurts and I’m scared to even leave the fucking house. My sister’s gonna be pissed or scared when she sees me tomorrow morning and I don’t even know how I’m going to explain this to people at work tomorrow and-”

Mickey felt like his head was spinning from all the crap that Ian was talking about. “Can you shut up for a fucking second? Jesus. Who fucking knew your brain ran a mile a fucking minute. Maybe that’s why your head’s so fucking red. It’s cause your brain’s overheating or some shit.”

Ian chuckled. “Stop making me laugh. It hurts.”

Mickey sighed. “Any broken bones?”

Mickey could hear Ian moving around.

“I don’t think so.” Ian answered.

“Bruises?”

“A lot.”

“Biggest one?”

“Ribs.”

“Fuck.”

“I fell and they kicked me.”

“How many were they?”

“Four.”

Mickey closed his eyes. “Shit.”

“Did you at least hit back?” Mickey asked.

“Yeah, a couple times.”

“Good.”

Mickey thought back to the photo of Ian he had on his phone. He felt angry. “I could just fucking kill those mother fuckers.” He muttered.

“Oh yeah? What, you’ll wait for them to feel like visiting Chicago before you attack?”

“Don’t mock me, Ian.” Mickey warned.

“Well, you could always book a flight to California, beat their asses then fly back just in time for lunch.”

“Ian.”

“OR you could call them up and meet halfway in fucking Colorado or some shit.” Ian said chuckling.

“For someone who just got his ass beat, you’re not very nice, are you?”

Ian sighed. “Can we talk about something else for a bit?”

“Sure.”

“How’s your granny wheelchair?”

“Oh fuck you!” Mickey snapped, hoping that his grin wasn’t obvious through the phone.

Ian laughed. “Fuck!”

“Yeah. That’s what you get asshole.” Mickey chuckled. “My sister and I threw that old piece of crap out. Got myself a pair of crutches.”

“Aww.. you looked cute in you little purple wheelchair.”

“Shut up.” Mickey grunted.

Ian sighed heavily.

Mickey rolled his eyes. “Alright, fine. Go ahead.”

“What?” Ian asked confused.

“You’re being a little shit, that’s what. You keep making fun of me and crap but when you stop, you get all whiny about being fag-bashed. Fine, go ahead. Laugh at me all you want.”

“You really got a way with words, huh?”

“Nah. Just realized a long time ago that life would be a whole lot fucking simpler if everybody just blurt out the shit they feel.”

“Tell me about him.”

“Who?”

“Your ex.”

Mickey sighed.

“Or would you rather I _whine about being fag-bashed._ ” Ian mocked.

Mickey smiled. At least the confidence was back in Ian’s voice. “Alright, fine. What do you wanna know?”

“His name?”

“Jake.”

“Jake. Hm. What’s he look like?”

“Red hair, green eyes, looks like a fucking Dalmatian with all the freckles he’s got.”

“He sounds hot.”

“Oh shut the fuck up, Ian. We’re talking about Jake, not you, you egotistical asshole.”

Ian chuckled. “Why’d you break up?”

Mickey sighed. “Some shit happened that his parents heard about and they said that they didn't want their kid exposed to shit like that.”

“What happened?”

Mickey closed his eyes. Fuck. He slowly inhaled and exhaled.

“You don’t have to talk about it.” Ian whispered.

“Nah. It’s been a couple months. I think it’s about damn time I talk about it.”

“Okay.”

“My dad saw us fucking in the living room. He lifted Jake up and threw him on the floor, pointing a fucking gun at him. I panicked and punched my dad a couple times, he slammed me back into the sofa and shot me. My own father fucking shot me.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah, in the leg. Now I have two matching bullet wounds on each leg thanks to my family.” Mickey chuckled dryly.

“What happened next?” Ian’s voice was unsure, like he didn’t know if he wanted to hear the rest.

“He kept pointing the gun at Jake and I swear to god I thought he was gonna kill him. But he brought out the phone instead and asked for the Russian.” Mickey let out a deep breath. No one’s ever heard the full story before. There were police reports and all that crap but Mickey never talked about it. “I thought it was the fucking Russian mob he was calling or some shit. Turns out, it was a hooker.”

“A hooker?”

“Yup. My dad made her ride my dick to turn me straight while Jake watched.”

“Shit, Mickey.”

“Yeah. I was being raped while blood kept gushing out of the bullet wound I had on my leg. My brother, Collin, saw everything and called the cops. Thank god it was Collin. Tony and Jamie with their fucked up tempers woulda gotten themselves shot trying to beat our father up.”

“Collin was the one who shot you?”

“Nah. That was Iggy.”

“Your brothers all okay with you being gay?”

“They’re trying to be okay with it. But I guess they figured that they can’t really do anything about it anymore. I’m still their brother.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you.” Ian whispered.

“Yeah, well, sorry that shit happened to you too.”

Ian let out a big yawn.

“Why don’t you go to bed, Sleeping Beauty.” Mickey said, yawning as well.

“Nah. I’m still good. I wanna talk to you more.” Ian mumbled, fighting against sleep.

Mickey had a warm feeling going on in his stomach. No one ever wanted to talk to him after they found out about the shit that went down with Terry.

“How’s your body?” Mickey asked.

“Still bad. But I’ll be okay.” Ian murmured.

Mickey yawned, slowly falling asleep himself.

“Wish you were here, Mick.” Ian whispered.

Mickey smiled and slowly fell asleep hearing Ian’s soft snoring through the phone.


	6. Chapter 6

Mickey woke up with a warm giddy feeling inside of him.

Ian must’ve woken up in the middle of the night cause the call was ended. What he got instead was a message.

Ian: Goodnight, Mick. Thanks.

Mickey smiled.

Then he heard a knock on the front door.

Mickey pocketed his phone, grabbed his crutches then, hobbled his way towards the front door. He rolled his eyes when he saw his brothers and Mandy still passed out in the living room.

With a little difficulty, he managed to open the doors without completely falling over.

“Hey Mickey! Shit. What happened to you?”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Mickey did nothing to hide his confusion when he opened their front door to Jake’s face.

“Sam took a job delivering a package and when he got to the drop off they didn’t want to pay him. Scared him away with a gun.”

Mickey sighed. “Never show up to a drop off without some kind of fucking leverage.”

“Yeah I told him that.” Jake rolled his eyes. “Would you mind, you know, convincing them to pay us?”

One of the things that Mickey used to like a lot about Jake was the fact that the two of them were a lot alike. They were both products of the Southside.

They got what they needed by whatever means necessary. The only difference was that Mickey worked with brute force, punching when words didn’t get the desired results. While Jake and his brother Sam, orchestrated seemingly flawless schemes. Mickey got a bad reputation while Jake still got smiles when he entered a room.

Mickey scoffed. “What’s in it for me?”

“25%.”

“How much are with talking about?” Mickey raised his eyebrow.

“A lot more than the dolphin money, that’s for fucking sure.”

The thing between the two of them was that whether they were together or broken up, they’ll still find themselves in situations where they’d need each other.

“Why the fuck not.” Mickey answered. He hobbled back into the house and opened their cabinet for his weapon of choice. He grabbed a gun and shoved it into his pocket before grabbing his crutches and exiting the house.

“So, uh… how have you been?” Jake asked as they made their way to wherever it was they were going to. His voice was suddenly quiet and unsure.

Mickey couldn’t help but compare his voice to another redhead a million miles away. “Good. You?”

Jake nodded. “Same.”

A few steps were taken in silence before Jake decided to break it.

“Look, Mickey. I’m sorry for how I ended things.”

Mickey scoffed. “It’s fine, asshole.”

“No, I’m serious. It’s not because of you, you’re amazing but I just-”

Mickey stopped walking. “Jake, I get it. For some fucked up reason that I cannot even begin to understand, you love your parents. And for an even more fucked up reason I cannot even comprehend, your parents want the best for you. I’m Mickey fucking Milkovich, dammit. Who would look at me and think, ‘Oh! He’s gonna take care of my kid.’ Nobody.”

Jake sighed as they resumed walking again. “You did, you know.”

“I did what?”

“You took care of me.”

Mickey smirked. “Not like you gave me much of a choice.”

“We’re good, right?” Jake asked, looking at Mickey.

“One condition.”

“What?”

“You can’t fall in love with me.”

“That’s not even the right line, motherfucker.” Jake chuckled.

“I slept through the movie, asshole.”

“You’re heartless.”

“You’re a sap.”

~

“You’re an idiot!” Jake said, laughing hysterically.

“You got your money didn’t you?” Mickey snapped.

“Yeah but still, you’re a fucking idiot!”

Mickey frowned. Jake and Mickey had made their way to their mark and when Mickey knocked on the door, a bald man answered. Afterwards, Mickey didn’t have to do much else. The man just ran. Mickey grabbed the gun from his pocket and started firing only to find out that he forgot to load the bullets.

So, fueled by adrenaline, Mickey did the next logical thing. He threw the fucking gun at the man.

Jake still couldn’t get over his hysterics. “It would’ve been cool if you had actually hit him but you missed him by like a fucking mile!”

“Shut the fuck up.”

They ended up just going through the house and grabbing as much as they can before leaving.

They kept walking until they made it to the spot under the L and Jake opened up the suitcase they stole to look at the stuff they got on the inside.

They were able to get some wads of cash that the idiot just left laying around. That was easier to split.  What was harder was the things they took.

“Okay, so how are we going to do this?” Jake asked sifting through the things.

They got a laptop, some shoes, a few guns, a bottle of expensive whiskey and some gadget that was still in the box that they figured they could sell.

Mickey picked the box up. “What’s this, anyway?”

Jake looked up. “Oh, some wifi crap, I think.”

Mickey’s mind immediately went to California. “I’m good with this.”

Jake frowned. “You sure?”

“Yup.”

“Alright.” Jake stood up but he leaned back down and grabbed one of the guns. “Here, to replace the old one.”

Mickey smirked. “Fucker.”

~

Mickey was hobbling his way back to the house when his phone rang. He found the nearest wall he could lean against and got his phone from his pocket.

It was a video call from Ian.

Mickey’s heart started pumping really really fast. He ran a hand through his hair and swiped to answer the call.

The first thing he saw was what looked like a half-eaten slice of pizza.

“Um… hello?” Mickey said.

“Oh shit!” came Ian’s voice. Mickey watched as the camera flipped and his heart stopped when he saw Ian waving sheepishly.

Then Ian’s face was gone.

Whoever owns the internet connection that Mickey was leeching off of must’ve turned it off.

Ian: Shit. Didn’t realize I called your phone.

Mickey: you look like shit

The image was blurry but Mickey definitely saw the cuts and bruises that littered Ian’s face.

Ian: You’re too sweet. 

Mickey: how are you

Ian: I’m fine. My sister freaked out. My other sister said she’ll put makeup on my face before I head to work.

Mickey: gay

Ian: I know right? I mean I like fucking guys but makeup? Too gay.

Mickey chuckled.

He placed the phone back into his pocket and hobbled as best he could while clutching the wifi thing under his arm.

When he got home, he left the box in his room and joined his brothers and Mandy in the dining table.

“Why the fuck is everybody home all of a sudden?” Mickey asked, squeezing himself between Tony and Jamie.

“Break up.” Iggy said.

“Kicked out.” Jamie said.

“Broke.” Tony said.

Collin simply shrugged.

Mandy rolled her eyes but she couldn’t keep a smile from crawling to her face as she served her brothers dinner.

~

Mickey made his way back to his room and on his bed.

Just as his butt hit the mattress, he got a text.

Ian: Hi Mickey!

Mickey: your timing is fucking creepy

Ian: I set the time up on my phone so it shows me what time it is in Chicago.

Mickey smiled. He liked that.

Mickey: how are you

Ian: Good. I’m at work and people are giving me weird looks.

Mickey: what did you tell them

Ian: I told them I got into a fight.

Mickey scoffed.

Ian: How about you?

Mickey: good

Mickey: did a job today so ill be set for a couple days

Ian: You never told me what your job was?

Mickey froze. So far, Ian has been awesome in accepting information that would normally have people running away from him. Everything he has said, Ian has taken in stride. What if this is the one piece of information that pushes Ian to the limit?

Mickey thought about it for a couple of seconds.

Fuck it.

Mickey: i dont have a job

Mickey: i just go with whatever people give me

Mickey: like today, jakes brother had to deliver illegal goods but he didnt get paid so jake asked me to scare the motherfucker and he would give me 25% of the payment so i went there with a gun and scared the man

Mickey threw the phone towards the edge of the bed. He really didn’t want to see what Ian has to say. Ian will probably be freaked out and won’t want to talk to him anymore and he’d lose a friend.

Mickey frowned.

Ian was his friend. Mickey almost shocked himself. He didn’t have _friends_. He had his brothers and Mandy. He used to have Jake but that was gone. Was Jake his friend too?

Shit.

All this was throwing Micky’s brain into a loop.

If Jake was his friend, then Ian most definitely wasn’t his friend.

Or at least Mickey didn’t want Ian to just be his friend.

And now Mickey ruined it.

Ian’s going to find out how worthless and dumb Mickey is and he’ll stop texting and Mickey won’t be able to do anything unless he stumbled upon enough money to fly to California. Even then he wouldn’t even know where Ian lives. Maybe Mickey could hunt down Ian’s ex-boyfriend, what the fuck was that asshole’s name?

Beep!

For the second time that week, Mickey embarrassingly dove after his phone.

Ian: So, you spent the whole day with Jake?

Mickey: wtf thats all you got from everything i said

Ian: I mean, it’s cool if you’re dating again, I guess.

Mickey: and you dont give a flying fuck that im a criminal

Ian: What? Course not. Me and my brother have done shit far worse than you scaring an old hobo.

Mickey: oh yeah

Ian: A couple years ago, my brother, our neighbor and I stole an old ice cream truck from this ice cream factory. Every summer, we start it up and we sell ice cream, weed and beer.

Mickey: never knew you had the balls firecrotch

Ian: So… you and Jake?


	7. Chapter 7

Mandy turned the doorknob to Mickey’s room and smiled when it opened.

Ever since their father got sent to jail after his outbreak when Mickey came out, his brothers changed. Mickey doesn’t lock the door anymore, Collin started talking again, Jamie started joking again, Tony started teasing them again and Iggy starting coming home again.

She loved their dad, she really did. But she couldn’t deny how great it felt to have a full house again.

When Mandy opened the door, what she saw confused her.

Mickey was pacing back and forth while staring at his phone like it was responsible for everything currently wrong with the world.

~

Mickey was confused.

He liked Ian, he liked him a lot.

Ian seemed to like him, right?

Mickey wants to be more than friends with Ian.

Does Ian want the same thing?

Ian was really nice to Mickey but was his nice-ness surpassing the normal level of nice-ness that a friend has for another friend?

Or do friends usually ask about other friend’s exes?

Is that how friendship works?

“Mickey?”

Mickey stopped in his tracks and looked towards the door where Mandy was looking at him with utter confusion.

“You okay, Mick?”

Mickey frowned. Can he tell Mandy about Ian?

Can he tell Mandy about the guy he’s been staying up for? The guy who makes Mickey feel like a person who people actually want to talk to? Should he tell Mandy about the guy who Mickey seems to be slowly falling for (Mickey still hadn’t thought that part through.)? The guy who is currently on the other side of the country?

Oh, fuck it.

Mickey let out a heavy sigh. “There’s this guy.”

“Oh thank fucking god!” Mandy’s body slumped in relief.

“What the fuck? What the hell did you think it was?”

“I thought you got a call from Uncle Ronnie or something.” Mandy murmured.

Mickey frowned. Terry was in jail, which was a good thing. Hell, it was the best thing that’s ever happened to the Milkovich siblings. But having Terry in jail also meant that he’ll eventually get out.

“So, tell me about him.” Mandy said when he noticed his brother starting to space out.

Mickey shook himself and sat down at the edge of the bed. “Uh… he’s nice. Funny. He seems smart. He cares a lot. What the fuck is wrong with your face?”

Mandy couldn’t keep the gigantic smile from growing onto her face. “Nothing.”

“Like hell that’s nothing.” Mickey frowned.

“It’s just that when I asked you about Jake a couple years ago, all you could tell me was how hot he was and how good he was in bed. This guy…”

“Ian.”

“This guy, Ian, though, seems different.”

Mickey smiled. “Yeah, he does.”

“HOLY SHIT!” Mandy shrieked and launched herself onto Mickey’s bed. “So, who’s bigger? Ian or Jake?”

“What the fuck? How do you even know how big Jake is?”

Mandy rolled her eyes. “You’re not as discreet as you think you are, asshole. So, whose is bigger?”

“First of all, you’re a disgusting little skank. Second, I actually have no fucking idea.”

Mandy’s eyes grew twice as big before grabbing a pillow and whacking Mickey’s face with it. “You are so fucking whipped! You haven’t even had sex with him yet?”

“Stop it bitch!” Mickey yelled, grabbing the pillow.

“You seriously haven’t had sex with him yet? Why? Is he ugly?”

“No, bitch.” Mickey yelled back. “It’s just that, there are things to fucking consider.”

“Like what?”

Mickey sighed. He didn’t want to tell Mandy about the long distance thing. He really didn’t. So he settled instead with, “How do you even know if a guy likes you?”

Mandy’s face scrunched in thought. “Well does he seem interested in you?”

“He asks a lot of questions.”

“Does he listen when you tell him stuff?”

“I dunno. I guess he does?”

“Does he make time for you?”

Mickey smiled. “Fucker fell asleep while we were talking cause he didn’t wanna hang up.”

Mandy smiled at the fond look Mickey had on his face. “I think he likes you.”

Mickey suddenly frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

Mickey sighed. Honesty, that was his thing now. “I just don’t know if he’ll still like me once he gets to know me and all this shit we grew up around.”

Mandy frowned as well. “Mickey, don’t be stupid. No one’s perfect. We had a rough childhood, there’s no way in hell we can deny that. But get to know him better. You’ll be shocked with what you find out.”

Mandy can be really fucking smart sometimes.

~

Everyone in the Milkovich house was just laying around in the living room watching a movie they’ve watched a million times.

Suddenly, a suction dart thing found its way to the TV screen.

“What the fuck?” Jamie yelled.

“We’ve watching this shit way too fucking much!” Iggy complained.

“How about every time the dart lands on someone’s nose on the screen, everyone has to take a shot?” Collin said.

Mandy was the first to reach the kitchen bringing back a bottle of Jack and six shot glasses.

Game on, Mickey grinned.

~

Mickey’s eyes slowly opened when his leg starts to vibrate.

“What the fuck?” he looked around and saw that he has fallen asleep with the rest of his family in the living room. Somehow, he wound up on the floor leaning against the sofa.

Mickey dragged his hand across his face and got his phone from his pocket.

It was 6am and he had 2 missed calls from Ian plus a couple of messages from three hours ago.

Ian: You’re seriously not asleep right now, are you?

Ian: Creepy supervisor is here.

Ian: Heeelp!!

Ian: You fucking suck.

Mickey grinned and tried his best to get up without waking up any of his siblings. Once he was up, he couldn’t find his crutches anywhere so he literally just hopped his way to his room and closed the door behind him.

Without even thinking, he called Ian up.

There was a couple seconds of panic when Mickey realized what he did but that all disappeared when Ian picked up the phone.

“You’re help is no longer needed.”

Mickey didn’t even try to stop the chuckle that escaped through his lips. “You’re too fucking dramatic, asshole.”

“Oh shut up. You weren’t the one who had to make imaginary plans just to fend off a stalker’s invites to fucking dinner.”

“Isn't that evasion tactic getting a bit old already?”

“Yeah but this time, I told him I was already seeing someone else.”

Mickey's eyebrows suddenly rose. “You are?”

"Yeah." Ian answered.

Mickey didn't know how but he could almost hear Ian's smile through the phone. That pissed him off all the more.

"But it's not like I can actually see him." Ian chuckled.

Mickey frowned. “Why the fuck not?”

 

“Because seeing someone would mean that you need to be in the same room.”

“So?”

Ian let out a sigh. “The guy I like is this thug from Chicago. Unless he has a private jet he could steal, a dinner with him tomorrow would be completely impossible.”

You know those moments where, in real life, it was only a couple of seconds but then your brain goes through a million trains of thoughts, you feel like a million years have gone by?

That’s what happened to Mickey.

Mickey froze.

Ian likes him.

Like wants-to-date-him kind of liking him.

But there’s still that thing about Ian thinking Mickey was just some hoodrat.

All the shit he went through, if you compared that to what he told Ian so far, that was just the tip of the iceberg. Hell, that’s not even a single snowflake to the whole fucking iceberg.

But there’s also that thing that Mandy said about getting to know Ian. That maybe Ian has some shit too. That maybe Ian wasn’t perfect.

Who the fuck was Mickey kidding though?

“Um… hello? Mick?” Ian suddenly sounded so unsure.

In that instant, Mickey arrived at a decision.

Seems like he’s gonna stick with this honesty bullshit.

“Look, you seem like an awesome guy.”

Ian let out the heaviest sigh that Mickey would’ve heard even without the phone. “But you’re not into me? Is that it?”

“Would you shut the fuck up and let me finish?”

“Okay.”

“You’re an awesome guy and that’s what’s wrong.”

“How’s that wrong?”

“I’m just a guy from the Southside of Chicago who wasn’t even fucking smart enough to make it through high school. I had to deal drugs most my life to earn my keep while living through the constant threat of having my dad find out I’m gay. My dad’s in jail now, my brothers still dealing drugs and my sister works in this dumb diner with questionable mascots and I pretty much am a thug for hire nowadays. You’re an awesome guy and I think you can do better.”

“Mickey what the-”

“I’m not yet done.”

“Okay.”

“I know we’ve been talking for only about a week or two but I’d rather have everything out there before this goes any further cause I feel like I’m already getting too attached.”

“You’re done?”

“Yup!”

“Alright. My mom’s bipolar and my dad’s a drunk. The earliest memory I have of her was when I was six and I had a really bad fever and my mom left my sister, my brother and I on a curb. My sister had to carry me and hold my other brother’s hand and lead us somewhere where we could spend the night. We ended up staying in a bar. The dad I grew up with isn’t really my dad. My mom apparently slept with my dad’s brother so my dad is now my uncle. This ongoing issue I have with a lack of a stable father figure has seeped into my love life. I’ve always been in relationships where the guy is old enough to be my dad, sometimes older. Two of them were married and one was even the dad of my sister’s boyfriend. A year ago, I found out I was bipolar too, like my mom. After skipping town three times, enlisting in the army, becoming a stripper and god knows what else, I finally got it in my head that I need to be on meds for my life to work out. So now, I’m constantly medicated to keep my bipolar in check and I’m stuck with this dumb job because it’s apparently ‘good for my condition’. I’m not perfect Mick.”

“Holy shit.”

“Uh-huh.”

“So, I guess we have a fucking date tomorrow, huh?”

“I guess so.”

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow, Firecrotch.”

Mickey smiled as he once again heard Ian smile through the phone.

“It's a date!”


	8. Chapter 8

Mickey feels like he’s done a year’s worth of cardio this afternoon.

Ian and Mickey have decided to have diner together before Ian leaves for work, so Mickey spent the whole day setting up the wifi thing in his room. The instructions that came in the box were fucking useless so Mickey had to run back and forth to the spot where he steals wifi to look up videos on how to set the shit up.

Once he had everything set up, he had to run back out to see how to set up a password.

Once everything was finally set up, it was already the mid-noon.

Mickey felt like the more he stayed up talking to Ian, the shorter his days got. Fuck Ian for having a vampire-y work schedule.

Mickey wasn’t complaining though.

~

At around 5pm, Mickey was getting antsy.

He jerked off, took a shower, drank some beer, annoyed Mandy, got high and then got higher and Ian still hasn't called him yet.

Mickey was starting to think that he needed a new hobby.

Mickey jumped onto the bed and looked through his photos.

He smiled when a new batch of Ian’s photos were synced up.

He got about five pictures of the back of a blonde guy’s head, Mickey frowned at that one, and about five pictures of the sunset.

Six pictures.

Seven pictures.

Mickey frowned and opened the Messaging app.

Mickey: you worried youre gonna forget how the fucking sun looks like or something

Ian: Oh. Didn’t know you had wifi where you were.

Mickey: stole a thing now i got wifi in my room

Ian: Ohh.. Okay! I saw the sunset and I thought it was nice so I was taking pictures to show you.

Mickey felt giddy but wanted to roll his eyes at the same time.

Mickey: the fuck are you doing out

Ian: I always go for a jog before I head to work.

Mickey: is that cause of the thing

Ian: You can say it, you know.

Mickey: the bipolar thing

Ian: Sort of, yeah.

Mickey: okay

Ian: How’d you know?

Mickey: what

Ian: That it’s cause of the bipolar thing?

Mickey: mightve googled it

Ian: And?

Mickey: endorphins that you get from exercising makes you feel good, but weed still seems like the better option to me

Mickey: and some bipolar meds make you gain weight so you gotta lose that shit or it messes with your self-esteem or some shit like that

Ian: Fuck, Mick. I didn’t even know that.

Mickey: it’s the first thing that pops up on google when you search that shit

Suddenly Mickey received a photo from Ian. Mickey tapped it to open the message and saw Ian’s face in all its smiling glory.

Ian: Thought you deserved to know what you did to my face.

Mickey: pretty sure your hairs always been that red

Ian: I was talking about the smile, asshole.

Mickey couldn’t help but smile himself.

Ian: I’ll go take a shower then we can have our date. ;)

Mickey: yeah pretty sure i can smell you from here

~

Mickey paid the pizza guy as he took the box from him and brought it to the kitchen. He got a plate and took two pieces for himself.

“PIZZA!” Mickey yelled to the rest of the house then, he made his way back to his room before he got trampled by a herd of Milkoviches with the munchies.

Once Mickey got to his room, he quickly changed into a plain black shirt and settled down onto his bed. The moment he got comfortable enough, his phone rang.

Mickey swiped and angled the front camera to get a clear shot of his face.

“Hi.” Ian smiled.

Mickey couldn’t help but smile back. Ian was dressed in a nice white button down shirt with a dark blue tie and Mickey saw the black jacket draped across the back of the chair Ian was sitting on.

“You didn’t have to dress up for me, Firecrotch.” Mickey teased.

“I’m headed to work after this, asshole.” Ian grinned.

Mickey was pretty convinced that the smile he currently had on his face was stuck and he had this particular redhead to blame.

“So, what are we supposed to do?” Mickey asked.

“I’m pretty sure you know what we’re supposed to do, Mick.”

Mickey frowned. “What the hell’s that supposed to mean?”

Ian took a bite of the big ass waffle he had in front of him before saying, “Tell me, Mick. When you googled ‘Things To Do To Have A Good Date’ what did you find out?”

Out of complete and utter embarrassment, Mickey dropped the phone onto the bed and buried his head into the pillow beside him.

All he could hear right now was Ian’s laughter coming from the phone’s speaker.

“Mickey!” Ian yelled, clearly stifling his laughter.

“Shut up!” Mickey yelled back, pizza slices long forgotten.

“C’mon Mick! Don’t ruin our first date.”

“Shut the fuck up, I don’t like you anymore.” Mickey yelled.

Suddenly, the door opened and the rest of the Milkovich siblings were crowding Mickey’s doorway.

“What the hell’s going on? Why the fuck were you yelling?” Tony asked, frowing and still chewing through half a pizza.

“Nothing.” Mickey answered, suddenly straightening up.

“Mickey? Who’s there?” Ian asked.

“Shut the fuck up, Ian.” Mickey answered.

Mandy’s eyes grew and before Mickey could even react, she dove for Mickey’s phone and started running out the door.

“You’re Ian??” Mandy asked breathlessly.

“Hi.” Ian waved sheepishly. “You’re Mickey’s sister?”

Mandy nodded. She looked behind her and saw her four other brothers holding Mickey back.

“Who’s that, Mands?” Tony asked, obviously amused by the situation.

Mandy grinned and flipped the camera on the video phone. Mandy introduced the rest of the family by pointing everyone out to Ian through the screen. “That big guy is Tony, the other one is Jamie, that’s Collin and the little one is Iggy.”

“Give me back my phone bitch!” Mickey yelled wriggling out of his brothers’ arms.

Mandy ignored Mickey completely, flipped the camera back and handed the phone over to Jamie. “That is Mickey’s new boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend?” Jamie’s grin grew bigger. “You didn’t tell us you had a fucking boyfriend!”

Mickey started jumping for the phone but considering his newly healed bullet wound, he couldn’t jump that high. “He’s not my fucking boyfriend, asshole.” Mickey muttered.

Jamie kept the phone out of Mickey’s reach but held it so that Ian could see his face and vice versa. “Another fucking ginger, huh?”

“Let me see!” Collin yelled.

All four boys started squeezing their heads into the frame to get a good look of Ian. Ian just smiled awkwardly and waved. “Hi.”

Mickey stood off to the side with his arms crossed, feeling pissed and embarrassed and just a bit hungry.

“You dating our brother?” Tony asked.

“Uh… kind of?” Ian stammered.

“Kind of? What the fuck kind of answer is that? You dating our brother or not?” Collin demanded.

“Uh.. Mickey?” Ian’s voice was unsure and Mickey huffed in contempt. There was no way he was going to help Ian out of this one. He fucking deserves it for being such a fucking stalker.

When it was clear that Ian wasn’t going to get an answer, Ian sighed. “I live in California so the only kind of dates we can have is the one you interrupted us from.”

Mickey couldn’t help but grin at that.

Mandy’s face was split into two by a gigantic grin before she screamed. “OHMYGOD!! You’re in a long distance relationship and you were dating through fucking video chat??!! That is so fucking adorable Mickey!!!”

Mickey rolled his eyes and bowed his head. He was pretty sure he’s gonna lose all the feeling in his limbs with all the blood that’s rushing to his face.

Jamie was frowning to the screen. “You live in California?”

Ian nodded. “San Francisco.”

The brothers looked at each other in a silent conversation.

“Alright, well just don’t give us a reason to go there, Gingerbread.” Tony said, trying to intimidate Ian through the phone.

“Oh my fucking god.” Mickey sighed. He walked back to his brothers who were still squished together looking like a bunch of idiots and grabbed his phone. “This is getting too fucking ridiculous. I am not Mandy you fucking assholes, I can handle my own shit.”

“Asshole.” Mandy muttered.

Mickey stomped back into his room, plopped onto his bed and looked at Ian through the phone. “What?” Mickey snapped.

“I like them.” Ian smiled.

Mickey rolled his eyes but the corners of his lips were slowly curving upward.

“Can we please go back to our date now?” Ian asked.

Mickey sighed. “Alright.” Mickey crawled back to the top of his bed and sat his butt beside the plate of pizzas.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

“WHAT?!” Mickey yelled.

“What’s the wifi password?” Iggy asked through the door.

“Jesus Christ.” Mickey muttered.

Ian was just kept smiling, incapable of getting over how adorable Mickey was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry. No acceptable excuse for sucking at updating but here's a new chapter! :D


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to make up for the lack of updates this past month! :)

A month had already gone by since Ian and Mickey had first started talking. If it didn't feel so fucking good, Mickey would've been freaking the fuck out.

They talked about dumb things like family and favorite food and shit. They even exchanged addresses just in case either of them will suddenly run into enough cash to bring themselves to the other side of the country.

Mickey has never been this connected to someone before.

Mickey has been staying up way too late the past few days, talking to Ian while Ian was at work, and it was finally catching up on him.

It was already late in the evening when Mickey woke up with a really bad boner.

Fuck.

Mickey reached down and took his boxers off. He pulled his blanket over his body and started stroking his cock.

Mickey was slowly getting into it, biting his lip to keep his moans at bay. 

And that was precisely when Mandy decided to make her grand entrance.

"Mandy, what the fuck?!" Mickey yelled, hand stilling.

"See, Ian? He's okay, just fucking lazy. He hasn't even gotten out of bed yet." Mandy pointed the camera at Mickey.

"What the fuck are you doing talking to Ian?" Mickey snapped, inexplicably jealous.

"Calm your dick! He found me on Facebook cause you weren't answering your damn phone." Mandy yelled back.

"Hi Mickey!" Ian greeted through the video chat.

"Ohmygod, Mickey!" Mandy exclaimed after having looked at her brother properly. "Are you...?"

"Get the fuck out!" Mickey shouted.

Mandy immediately turned around and left the room but not without shouting back. "Can you please lock your fucking door the next time you decide to jerk off!"

When Mickey's phone started ringing, he almost expected it.

He finally, and begrudgingly, let go of his dick. He grabbed his phone, swiped and Ian's face filled up his screen.

"Hi." Ian greeted.

"Hello." Mickey said back. Ian was still at work and Mickey can't even deny the fact that Ian looked so fucking good in his uniform.

"Were you really... um... you know?" Ian asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Jerking off?" Mickey asked with a grin.

Ian nodded.

"I was. But my dick went limp the moment I saw Mandy." Mickey joked.

Ian cleared his throat and started squirming in his seat. 

Mickey's eyebrow slowly rose. He hasn't gotten laid ever since his breakup and the thing he had going on with Ian hasn't reached the stage where dick pics were acceptable yet.

So now that this moment has presented itself, Mickey was gonna fucking take advantage. 

Mickey grinned. "Wanna help me out, Firecrotch?"

"I'm at fucking work, Mickey!"

"Take a bathroom break! Shouldn't take long."

"Fuck." Ian muttered. Ian looked at Mickey. He could see Mickey's pale shoulders and his chest and his fucking nipples. So Ian got up and yelled for someone to cover in case his supervisor walked by and ran off to the bathroom.

Mickey grinned and got up to lock his door.

Once Mickey could see that Ian has settled himself in the bathroom, he laid back down on his bed. "Tell me what to do." Mickey said.

"Fuck." Ian breathed. "Lower your camera, Mick, I wanna see you."

Mickey flipped his camera and changed the angle so Ian could see his body from the neck down.

"Holy shit, Mick. You're so fucking hot." 

The praise went straight to his dick and he was itching to fucking touch himself. "What now?" Mickey asked huskily.

Ian grinned, finally catching on to what Mickey wanted from him. "Play with your nipples Mick."

Mickey moved his free hand down to his chest and started pinching and tweaking his nipple.

"Fuck Mickey. Feel good?"

Mickey grunted.

"Lick your palm." Ian said, grabbing his own cock through his pants. "Move your hand down and play with your balls."

Mickey started fondling his balls and he couldn't help the moan that escaped through his lips.

"Good?" Ian asked.

"Yeah." Mickey breathed.

Ian moaned as he opened his own pants and shoved them down along with his underwear. "I'm so fucking hard Mick. My cock's so fucking hard."

"Show me."

Ian flipped his own camera and Mickey's breathing hitched when he saw how fucking big Ian's dick was. "Holy shit." Mickey gasped, hand momentarily freezing.

"Fuck Mickey. Touch your dick." Ian breathed as he started stroking his own cock.

Mickey did as he was told, eyes glued to his phone screen. "Fuck Ian. I want you in me. Fucking me hard with your dick. Stretching me out. Fucking shit." 

"Mick. Not gonna last. You're so hot. Fuck, Mick. Faster. Do it faster."

Mickey's hand started going faster until all Ian could see was a blur on his screen.

"Tell me when you're near, Mick. I'm so fucking close."

"Hang on." Mickey grunted, flicking his wrist a couple more times bringing himself to the delicate edge. "I'm near. Fuck Ian, I'm near."

"Flip your camera. Wanna see your face when you come." Ian muttered.

Mickey flipped the camera while continuing to stroke himself. He kept his eyes on Ian's cock on the screen, absentmindedly licking his lips when he thought about how fucking full his mouth would feel, sucking Ian's cock.

"Fuck Mickey! I'm coming!" Ian harshly whispered.

Mickey saw white liquid erupt from Ian's cock and he closed his eyes, jaw dropping, as he was plunged into his own orgasm.

"Shit." Ian chuckled, grabbing tissue to clean himself off.

Once Mickey came down from his high, he saw that Ian was already dressed.

"I'll call you again once I'm on my desk, kay?" Ian asked.

Mickey nodded.

~

Mickey was able to clean up, put some clothes on and get himself a glass of water before he got a phone call from Ian.

"Hey!" Mickey grinned. 

"Hi." Ian said back.

Mickey frowned. Something was wrong. "You okay? Did someone hear you in the bathroom or something?" Mickey asked, chuckling.

"Huh? No, no. Nothing like that."

"What's wrong, then?"

"This just sucks." Ian muttered.

"What, your job?"

Ian finally chuckled. "No, asshole. This. Us."

"What's wrong with us?"

"I just wanna be the one to do stuff to you. I wanna be near you and hug you and fucking smell you." Ian whispered, as if he was ashamed of what he was confessing.

"I know." Mickey answered. He did. He spent so many nights hugging his pillow pretending it was Ian.

Ian sighed. "I'll call you again when I get home?"

Mickey wanted to say something consoling. To make Ian feel better. But all that came out of his mouth was, "Okay."

Once they hung up, Mickey couldn't shake the feeling that came over him when he heard the sadness in Ian's voice. He grabbed the pillow that he used as pretend-Ian and smashed his face into it. 

He inhaled and frowned when all he could smell was himself.

It took a while before the idea found its way into Mickey's head. After that, he couldn't get to the courier fast enough.

Mickey missed a couple of calls from Ian because he was making his way back to the house from the nearest 24-hour courier.

After bitching to the lady behind the counter about the urgency of it all, Mickey left with the guarantee that what he sent out will reach Ian by tomorrow.

Mickey finally got home and called Ian but all he got was a mumbling idiot who was getting mad at him for missing his calls and making him tired.

Mickey chuckled and just told Ian to go to sleep.

~

Ian woke up with a heavy feeling in his gut.

Was it possible to miss someone you've never really been with? If so, then he surely missed the fuck out of Mickey.

He sighed, got up, changed into his running clothes and placed the pills in his pocket.

He ran around his neighborhood, stopping in parks just to sit around and enjoy the Saturday morning crowd.

He made his way back to the house and hung out with his brothers and sisters.

Around late afternoon, when all his siblings were playing out back, someone rang their doorbell.

Ian opened the door. "Yeah?"

It was a delivery guy with a package in his hands marked all over with 'Urgent' stickers. "Ian Gallagher?"

Ian nodded and signed the clipboard.

"Looks like someone REALLY wanted you to get this package. You expecting anything?" He asked.

Ian shook his head and stared at the package in confusion.

The delivery man chuckled. "Well whatever it is, I hope you enjoy it." He said as he walked away. 

Ian got a knife and sliced the package open. The smile that grew on his face was fucking inevitable when he saw the card and the contents of the package.

Fucking Mickey.

~

Mickey woke up to the stupid beeping of his phone. He frowned and swiped his phone open to see a photo coming in from Ian.

He tapped to open and smiled.

In the photo was Ian whose face was buried in the pillow that Mickey sent over. He was also holding up the card that Mickey sent with it. It says, 'Just so you wouldn't die without knowing how stinky I smell.'

Another message came in from Ian.

Ian: I think I love you.


	10. Chapter 10

I think I love you?!

I think??

What the hell was that supposed to mean?

Does that mean Ian's not sure? Is that it?

Then why say it at all?

Mickey has been pacing back and forth within the confines of his room wracking his brain for the explanation to the 5 word message he got.

Ian thinks he loves me?!

What the fuck!

Does he love me or not?

Mickey stopped pacing and finally gave in to the thing that his gut has been telling him to do.

Go find Mandy.

Mickey left his room and when he walked into the living room, he saw his brothers huddled around Mandy's phone.

"The fuck are you fuckers doing?"

Everyone looked at Mickey with huge grins and started applauding and hooting at Mickey.

Then, Mandy walked in from the kitchen.

"Little brother got game!" Collin teased.

"What the fuck are you idiots going on about?" Mickey asked slowly getting pissed.

"You sent Ian your pillow cause he said he wanted to know what you smell like??!!" Mandy screeched. "So. Fucking. Adorable!!"

Mickey froze. "How the fuck did you know about that?"

"Ian told me! He couldn't stop talking about it!" Mandy said dancing around like an idiot.

Well, now there's no way that Mickey will talk to Mandy about his 'I think I love you' dilemma.

Mickey just rolled his eyes and squeezed into the couch with the rest of his brothers. He took a peek of Mandy's phone and saw that Ian sent Mandy a different photo.

It was Ian and his gigantic smile hugging Mickey's pillow.

"He ain't that bad looking." Iggy confessed while looking at the phone with his head turned sideways.

Out of pure reflex, Mickey whacked him on the back of his head.

"Ow! What the fuck?? It ain't like I'm planning on banging him!! Alls I'm saying is that if I decided to go homo, Little Orphan Annie ain't a bad option."

This time, when Mickey whacked him, it was purely intentional.

~

Mickey and his brothers spent the whole afternoon arguing about the fuckability of Seagal versus Van Damme.

In the middle of Tony's very enthusiastic defense of Seagal, someone started banging on the door.

Mandy got up and opened the door. "The fuck you doing here, asshole?" She snapped.

"Probably an ex-boyfriend." Jamie scoffed.

Collin was crawling on the floor, trying to get a better view of the door and let out a harsh chuckle. "Yeap. It's an ex-boyfriend alright. But it ain't Mandy's."

Mickey's eyes grew bigger and quickly made his way to the door where Mandy was giving Jake the death glare. 

"What's up?" Mickey asked, ignoring Mandy's look of disbelief on how Mickey was addressing his ex-boyfriend. 

"Got a job, you in?" Jake asked.

"What do I gotta do?" Mickey asked. 

"We just need you to look scary."

Mickey shrugged and waved half heartedly at his brothers before following Jake out the door. "Later losers!"

"Ey! Don't forget! Too much gingersnap is bad for your health!" Jamie yelled over his brothers' howling laughter.

"What was that about?" Jake asked. 

"They're just being idiots." Mickey shrugged.

"Ah."

~

"The two of you are fucking idiots." Mickey exclaimed.

Jake was helping his brother Sam walk out of the warehouse where a makeshift Fight Club took place.

Jake and Sam rigged the bet so that they bet against Sam and Sam would lose on purpose.

Mickey was there to collect the money.

"Not one of our best ideas." Sam muttered before spitting blood onto the ground.

Mickey rolled his eyes, took Sam's other side and helped him limp home. 

Once they placed Sam safely on their couch, Jake walked Mickey out of the house.

Once they were on the porch, Mickey's phone started ringing. It was Ian.

"Hello?" 

"Look, I'm sorry. I know it was too soon and I shouldn't have said it and I'm sorry. I was just happy and if it freaked you out, I'm so sorry and-"

"Ian."

Suddenly, the line went dead.

"Boyfriend?" Jake asked, sitting on the steps and motioning for Mickey to do the same.

Mickey sat down and rubbed his arms against the night chill. "I don't know."

"Hm."

"What the fuck is that?"

"What?" Jake asked.

"'Hm?' What 'Hm?'"

Jake chuckled. "Just realized that some things never do change."

"The fuck does that mean?"

"Are you kidding me, Mickey? I don't even know how long it took for me to convince you to call me your boyfriend."

"Wasn't that long." Mickey muttered.

"Oh shut the fuck up, Milkovich. And I only got you to agree cause I wouldn't let you come if you wouldn't call me your fucking boyfriend."

"Shut up."

"Face it, Mick. You're one lost kid when it comes to a well-functioning relationship."

"Well if you're such a fucking expert, then tell me, if someone texts you 'I think I love you', the fuck does that shit mean?"

"Who said it? You or him?"

"What's the difference?" Mickey asked.

"If it's coming from him, then it probably means, 'I love you but I'm scared of admitting it because you seem like an emotionally unavailable asshole who would kick my ass if I ever talk about my feelings.' But if it came from you, then it means, 'I love you', 'Will you marry me' and 'I'll fucking die for you' all at once."

"No it doesn't." Mickey childishly said.

"Oh come on, Mick. I'm the one and only serious relationship you've ever gotten into and the best I got was an 'I'd fuck you.' I'm surprised 'love' is even in your vocabulary."

Mickey frowned. "I ain't like than anymore, you know."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I mean you did a lot of shit to change me against my fucking will."

Jake chuckled. "Well, if you gotta break up with someone, the least you could do is leave him a better person than when you started."

"You think he loves me?"

Jake shrugged. "Do you love him?"

Mickey's phone started ringing. It was Ian.

"Hello?" Mickey said.

"My phone died. Look, Mickey, I'm sorry. Can we just please forget I said that?"

Mickey frowned. Not because of what Ian said but because of the evil grin Jake had on his face.

"Oh Mickey. Oh! Fuck! Yes, Mickey! Yes! Yes!" Jake started yelling and moaning disgustingly.

"Shut the fuck up!" Mickey whispered.

"Who's that?" Ian asked.

"No one." Mickey said to Ian. "SHUT UP!" Mickey said to Jake.

Jake started giggling uncontrollably.

"I cannot believe it, Mickey. I tell you I think I love you and you start fucking someone?!" Ian yelled.

"No, no! Fuck. This idiot is just yelling stupid shit! I'm not having sex!"

"Fuck you, Mickey!" Ian said before he hung up.

Mickey frowned at his phone before he turned to Jake and punched him across the face.

"Fuck!" Jake yelled. "Alright, okay. I deserved that." He said, rubbing his cheek.

Mickey can't even talk.

Ian thinks Mickey's sleeping with someone else.

Ian must hate Mickey right about now.

Fuck, what if Ian doesn't love him anymore?

What if Ian doesn't talk to him anymore?

Fuck.

He can't lose him.

Suddenly, it all clicked inside Mickey's head.

"Took you long enough to figure it out." Jake smiled smugly when he saw Mickey's face. "Say what you want, but I think I still know how your head works."

"What do I do?"

"Call him, dumbfuck." Jake chuckled.

Mickey had a better idea. He FaceTimed Ian's phone and hoped to hell that he would get an answer.

"What?" Ian's face was pissed.

"Here. You see? We're on the fucking porch outside this asshole's house. We're not having sex. This idiot was just being an asshole. Tell him!" Mickey focused the camera on Jake's face.

"Hi!"

Ian just raised an eyebrow.

"Alright. I'm sorry. I just thought it'd be funny to do that shit."

"Who the fuck are you?" Ian snapped.

"My name's Jake."

"Jake? As in Mickey's ex-boyfriend Jake?" 

Jake could see that Ian was on the verge of another explosion so he grabbed the phone from Mickey before Mickey could pan the camera elsewhere. "And who are you?" He answered.

"I'm Ian." Ian muttered. He was so fucking close to just hanging up.

"Oh! It's nice to finally meet Mickey's boyfriend."

From Jake's point of view, he could clearly see both Ian's and Mickey's jaw drop.

"Boyfriend?" Ian whispered.

"Yeah, he was just telling me about you."

"He was?"

"Yup!" Jake answered with a smug smile directed towards Mickey.

"Um. Can I talk to him?"

"Sure!" Jake happily handed the phone back.

"You told your ex-boyfriend that I'm your boyfriend?"

Mickey nodded, sending unsure glances towards Jake who nodded encouragingly off-camera.

"But when I texted you last night, I got nothing back." _  
_

Mickey had no fucking idea what to say. He looked at Jake who was hastily typing shit onto his own phone.

When Jake was done, he handed Mickey his phone and Mickey, for lack of anything better to do, just read it out loud.

"Cause I didn't think texting was the best way to tell you that I love you for the first time." Mickey's eyes grew when he realized what the fuck he just said. He looked back up towards Jake, ready to kill, but instead what got his attention was Ian's smile.

"Really?"

That was it. That was the exact moment when Mickey realized he was fucked in the best possible way. "Yeah."

"So you and Jake?"

"Business partners." Jake yelled.

"Can I talk to him?"

Mickey handed the phone back to Jake.

"Hi!" Jake waved.

Ian narrowed his eyes. "I don't like you."

"Shame. I've always thought that us gingers should really stick together."

"I'm Mickey's boyfriend." Ian stated, the corners of his mouth slowly turning upwards.

"Been there, done that, don't plan on doing it again." Jake said nonchalantly.

"Good." Ian said, seemingly satisfied.

Jake winked and handed the phone back to Mickey.

"I'll call you when I get home?" Mickey said.

"Okay." Ian smiled. "Love you."

Mickey felt warm inside. "Love you too." He answered, smiling like a dope as he hung the phone up.

"You're welcome, Milkovich." Jake declared smugly. "And as a sign of your gratitude, I want you to name your firstborn after me."


	11. Chapter 11

Ian was sitting across his bed, with his back leaning against the wall and feet up on the bed with his knees bent in front of him. He had his phone wedged between his knees and Mickey’s face was on the screen.

 “What’s your room look like?” Mickey suddenly asked Ian, breaking the silence that has fallen between the two.

Ian grabbed his phone and flipped the camera to show Mickey around. “I share my room with my brothers. That’s Lip’s bed, he doesn’t stay here much but he’s here for now. That’s Carl’s bed and that’s Liam’s bed over there.” Ian got up to get a better angle. “This is my bed.”

“Are those army posters?” Mickey asked.

“Yep!”

Mickey grinned.

“What’s with the face?” Ian asked, amused.

“It’s kinda cool to see what sort of shit you blew your load to before you met me.”

Ian frowned. “Ew. Fuck, no! I actually wanted to be in the army when I was a kid. That is not cleverly camouflaged pornography. Shit, don’t taint my childhood, asshole.”

Mickey just laughed.

“Ian! Dinner!” Someone yelled from somewhere else in the house.

“Coming!” Ian yelled back.

“Really? That was fast.” Mickey said, grinning lewdly and waggling his eyebrows.

“You are just full of disgustingly sexual jokes today, aren’t you?” Ian said, holding back a smile.

He flipped the camera back to show his face again and started heading towards the door.

“Your house seems big.” Mickey commented.

“Technically it’s not ours. Our aunt died and no one told anybody. So we’ve been staying here until someone figures out that we’re not supposed to be here.” Ian shrugged as he was making his way down the stairs to the kitchen.

“Isn’t that kind of illegal?”

“Depends.”

“On what?”

“If we get caught.” Ian said, laughing as he reached the kitchen.

“Who are you on the phone with?” Fiona asked with a smile on her face.

~

Mickey froze.

He’s never really met any of Ian’s siblings yet. So, now that he was apparently about to meet at least one of them, all Mickey could do was sit still and eavesdrop, kind of.

“A guy I’ve been sort of seeing. His name’s Mickey.” Ian told his sister.

Mickey waved lamely when a girl’s face replaced Ian’s on the screen.

“Hi!” She said, with a smile too big for her face. Much like Ian’s, actually.

Mickey’s view was switched back to Ian’s face as Ian made his way to the dining table.

“Tell Mickey to get off the phone and come join us for dinner.” She said.

“Uh, that’s not really possible.”

“Why not?”

“He’s in Chicago.”

“Oh. When is he coming back? We’d love to meet him.”

“He’s not. Coming here, I mean. He’s from Chicago.”

“How’d you meet him?”

~

Ian was racking his brain for the best possible way to answer that question, but he couldn’t. So he settled for, “Online.” And just ignored the scoff he heard coming from his phone.

~

Mickey rolled his eyes.

He had to admit though, telling the truth wouldn’t have been ideal. So he kept his mouth shut and just listened.

“Online?”

“Yeah!”

“So you’re seeing a stranger?”

“No. Mickey’s not a stranger!”

“Who’s Mickey?” Came another voice, probably Ian’s brother, Lip.

“Some guy Ian met over the fucking internet.”

“Are you sure that’s healthy, Ian?”

“Mickey’s a good guy!”

“Where’s he from?”

“Chicago.”

“What part?”

“Southside.” Ian muttered.

Mickey winced, all his bubbles of happiness slowly bursting, one by one.

“Southside? You know what kind of people live in the Southside?”

Ian slowly took a deep breath. "He's not some creepy old random." Ian said, trying to remain calm.

“How the fuck do you know?” Lip asked.

"We've been talking for a while." Ian admitted.

"Yeah? What's his job?" Fiona asked.

Mickey tuned them out cause couldn’t take the disgust anymore. He was used to the judgment. Hell, he grew up with it. It just kinda sucked that their judgment was kind of valid.

When Mickey couldn’t take it anymore, he just ended the call.

~

“When did you get on that fucking high horse you’re on?” Ian yelled, tired of everyone picking on his boyfriend. “Whatever shit you’re thinking about Mickey, you’re just fucking projecting all the dumb crap we used to do to keep the fucking roof over our heads. All the shit ‘bad people’ do in the fucking Southside of Chicago, what the fuck makes us so different? This is all bullshit. I find someone that I actually love and I get this crap from you two of all people. Fuck you.” Ian grabbed his phone and left the house.

His heart stopped when he remembered that he never really ended the call with Mickey. He looked at his phone and was slightly relieved to see the call was ended.

He brought up Mickey’s number and hit the call button.

~

Mickey heard his phone ring but he ignored it.

Everything that’s happening right now is so fucking familiar and it hurts so damn much. Who was he kidding? Someone like Ian and someone like Mickey ending up together. Fuck! When did he get so damn naïve?

If this happened to someone else, Mickey would say that he deserved it for being so fucking blind.

Sure, Mickey thought that maybe Ian was too good for him. Hell, he thought everyone was too good for him but that feeling was so much easier to ignore when no one was there to point things out. Now that it’s all been laid out in the open, by Ian’s family no less, it all came back in one huge ass tidal wave of insecurities and low self-esteem.

Ian deserved someone better than Mickey, as his siblings so lovingly pointed out. It’d be better for Mickey to just cut his losses and continue with his life. Fuck Ian. Fuck love.

Good weed and good beer, that’s all he needed.

So he got up, put the phone on silent and tried to go sleep. Sleeping at 5 in the fucking afternoon was definitely better than crying like a bitch at 5 in the afternoon.

~

Ian was panicking.

Mickey hasn’t answered any of his calls. He has sent so many texts and so many fucking voicemails that he doesn’t even know what to say anymore if Mickey ever decides to pick up the phone.

He was sitting on the sidewalk not far from his house when his phone rang. Ian’s heart jumped but he was immediately disappointed when he saw that it was only the alarm that told him to take his meds.

He sighed, and got up. He felt his pockets and was so damn happy to see that he managed to bring his headphones with him. He plugged it into his phone and played the music that he jogged to every morning and made his way home.

When he got home, everyone was in the living room watching TV. He ignored them, choosing instead to focus on the blaring music attacking his ear drums.

He picked up a banana, got a glass of water and went up to his room, ignoring Fiona and Lip who looked like they were yelling at Ian.

He ate the banana, drank his meds and, for the first time ever, enjoyed the fact that his meds made him sleepy.

He fell asleep inhaling the last few traces of Mickey’s scent left on the pillow.

~

Mickey woke up to someone trying to beat down his damn door.

“What the fuck?!” Mickey yelled.

“Open the fucking door, asshole!” Mandy screamed through the door.

Mickey sighed and got up to unlock the door. Before he could even fully open the door, Mandy rushed in and sprinted to the bathroom.

Mickey jumped back into his bed and tried going back to sleep.

“You do know you have the only functioning bathroom in this whole damn house, right?” Mandy said.

“Fuck off.”

“Don’t take too fucking long to open the door next time if you don’t want pee on your damn door.”

“The others don’t have a problem with it!” Mickey snapped.

“They’re animals. They pee outside their windows.”

For some weird reason, that made Mickey smile.

“So, what’s up with you and Ian?” Mandy asked, plopping herself on the foot of the bed.

“We’re done.” Mickey muttered.

“Not what he said.” Mandy replied.

Mickey shot off of the bed and looked at his sister. “The fuck? You talked to him?”

“Yup! He told me what happened.”

“Yeah well, you can tell him to just go fuck himself.”

“Tell him yourself.” Mandy said, dropping her phone onto Mickey’s lap and leaving the room quickly.

Mickey looked down and saw that Ian was on the line.

“Fucking Mandy.” Mickey muttered.

“Mick?” Ian whispered. “Is it true? Are we done?”

Mickey just ignored how _wet_ Ian’s voice sounded. “Yeah.”

“Why? It’s- It’s just my family. They’re dumb. They don’t understand.”

Mickey sighed and decided to just be honest, just rip the damn band aid off. “Look, this was cool. The past five months were awesome and I enjoyed it a lot.”

“But?”

“But maybe that’s all there is to us.”

Ian sniffled.

“You deserve someone who has a boring ass desk job and earns clean money and who can be there to eat dinner with your family and not piss your sister off.”

At this point, Ian was all out crying. “Mick.”

Mickey was barely holding himself together so he decided to try to wrap things up before he fell apart as well. “I really do love you Ian but I don’t think that’s enough. You need someone who can give you more than I can ever hope to give you, alright? You can still call me anytime, just maybe not as much as before.”

Ian was still crying.

“I gotta go.” Mickey paused and sighed when Ian didn’t say anything else. “Bye.”

~

Two weeks.

It has been two weeks and all he got was radio silence from Ian.

He was completely sincere when he told Ian to call him anytime but I guess Ian wasn’t planning on taking him up on that offer.

Mickey sighed and leaned his head on the back of the couch. Iggy was smoking weed beside him and Mickey was hoping to get high off of his secondhand smoke.

Everyone else was sprawled on the floor, waiting for Mandy to finish cooking.

“Mandy told us.” Collin muttered.

“Bitch can’t keep her mouth shut.” Mickey muttered back.

“We woulda figured it out on our own, asshole. You’ve been one mopey son of a bitch.” Jamie bumbled.

“You know what you should do? Fuck someone else!” Iggy said, smoke wafting out of his mouth with every word.

“That’s a dumb idea.” Tony yelled.

“It’s a brilliant idea!” Iggy insisted.

“Angie Zago’s always open.” Collin said, laughing at his own joke.

“He’s a fucking fag, dumbfuck.” Jamie said, kicking Collin’s side.

“You can’t say fag in front of a fag, idiot.” Collin said kicking back.

“Dad used to say fag.” Tony said.

Iggy scoffed. “And we should all just follow in his footsteps.”

Mickey smirked. “They probably already have bunks with our names on them in prison.”

“Uphold the family honor.” Tony said dramatically.

“You know what would get us arrested? Kicking Firecrotch’s ass.” Iggy said.

“Dad would be so damn proud, all six of his kids kicking a fag’s ass.” Jamie said.

“Keep me out of that shit.” Mandy yelled from the kitchen.

“You can’t say fag, asshole!” Collin said, kicking Jamie again.

Mickey rolled his eyes. Too bad his fucking brothers weren’t enough of a distraction.

~

Mickey was already tucked into his bed, ready to sleep when his phone rang.

Without even thinking twice, you got the phone, swiped it and answered.

“Hello?” Mickey asked.

“Hey Mickey.” Ian said.

All the oxygen left the room. Or at least that’s what it felt like.

“You okay to talk?” Ian asked.

“Sure, yeah, sure.” Mickey said, closing his eyes.

“You been okay?” Ian asked.

“Yeah, been good. You?”

“Better now.”

“Yeah? Something happened?”

“Yeah, uh, stupid brain couldn't handle being dumped. Wasn't able to leave the bed for a couple of days.” Ian said, trying to make it sound like a joke.

“What?”

“Yeah, at first Fiona said I was just sad but the days turned into a week and I wasn’t eating anymore so they brought me to the doctor to get new meds.”

“You’re good now though, right?”

“Getting better but I’m probably going back and asking for new meds.”

“Yeah? How come?”

Ian chuckled.

Mickey pressed the phone closer to his ear to savor the sound.

“You really wanna know?” Ian asked, still chuckling.

“Yeah.”

“The new meds won’t let me get an erection.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Tried everything. Even my army posters don’t cut it anymore.”

Mickey couldn’t help but laugh.

“I miss you.” Ian whispered.

“Ian.” Mickey said.

“I know, I know. I just really miss you.”

Mickey just kept quiet.

“The pillow you gave me doesn’t even smell like you anymore.” Ian said, sadly.

“How’s your family?” Mickey asked, desperate for a new topic.

“Still assholes. But they apologized. At least, Fiona did. She said she shouldn’t have judged so quickly and all that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. I mean, it’s not so hard to get them to apologize once they see how much it affected me.”

Mickey was suddenly so worried about Ian’s health. “How did it affect you?”

“I lost you.” Ian said.

Mickey was dumbfounded.

“And you know what the worst part is? It’s how you think of yourself. You think you’re so unworthy of anything and I hate that. You’re amazing and it pisses me off that you don’t know it.”

Mickey rolled his eyes.

Ian sighed, as if he knew Mickey didn’t believe him. “I’ll let you go to sleep. I just really wanted to hear your voice again.”

“Okay.” Mickey said.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Mickey was about to hit the end button when he heard Ian speak again.

“Mick? Mick, you still there?”

“Yeah?”

“Okay, I know this will probably piss you off but I’ll be pissed at myself more if I didn’t try.”

“What?”

“I’ll ask you one time and one time only, okay?”

Mickey kept silent.

“Can we give this another shot?”

Somehow, Mickey expected this.

“I was afraid to ask cause I know it will piss you off.”

Mickey found himself nodding to that.

“But more that not having you in my life, I can’t fucking stand the fact that you don’t know how amazing you are.” Ian said. “Just one more shot at the two of us together. Let me show you how great you are.”

Mickey sighed. “No. Not yet.”

“Okay. When, though?”

“Call me back when you got your meds changed.” Mickey said, unable to hold back his laughter. “Can’t put those 9 inches to waste.”

Ian laughed as well. “It’s not 9 inches, Mickey. I’ll tip over if it really was that big.”

“If I say it’s 9 inches, then it really is 9 inches, Ian. Don’t ruin this for me.” Mickey said.

Ian broke out into laughter and Mickey pressed the phone painfully closer to his ear to catch every single sound that came with Ian’s laugh.

“I love you, Mick.”

“I love you too.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its short and sweet and hopefully it will tide you over until the next one.

Mickey just entered his house when he saw a box on the kitchen table.

“What’s this?” Mickey asked Iggy who was currently draped across their living room couch, the infamous BB gun in his hand.

Iggy shrugged. “It’s for you though.” He said before firing a shot at Collin’s door.

Mickey frowned at the package before carrying it towards his room. Before he could reach his door though, he stopped and turned to Iggy. “The fuck are you doing shooting Collin’s door?”

Iggy raised a hand and motioned for Mickey to keep quiet.

That’s when Mickey heard the disgusting moaning and groaning that was coming from Collin’s door.

“You’re pissed cause Collin’s getting laid and you’re not?” Mickey said, laughing at his big brother.

“It’s not like you’re getting laid either, asshole!” Iggy yelled, shooting Mickey squarely on the ass.

“Fuck!” Mickey cursed, quickly shutting the door. “At least you got the right goddamn gun this time!” He yelled through the door.

“I actually didn’t, fucker!” Iggy yelled back.

Mickey grinned and placed the box on his bed. He got his knife from his nightstand and tore open the packaging. Inside was another box and a phone stand that was meant to hold your phone up on its own. He picked up a piece of paper that was in it, alongside everything else, and he saw a note from Ian.

_Facetime when you get this. –Ian_

Mickey got his phone and called Ian.

“Did you get it?” Ian asked, his face filling up the whole screen.

“Yeah.” Mickey said. He picked up the other box and held it up for Ian to see. “What the hell is this?”

“You haven’t opened it yet? Why’d you call?”

“You said to call when I got it, not when I’ve opened everything. Be more specific.”

“Well, open it now!”

Mickey opened the box and instantly dropped everything he was holding when we saw what was inside.

“Mick? You okay?” came Ian’s voice from the phone.

“The fuck is this?” Mickey yelled, grabbing the phone, showing Ian his very very red face.

“Wanna try it out?” Ian smiled, lasciviously.  

Mickey looked at the thing that was in the box, which remained untouched on his floor. It was a black dildo with a suction mount thing on one end.

“C’mon Mick.” Ian said. “I wanna see you ride it. Fuck. You’d be so damn hot.”

Mickey’s dick was definitely starting to get interested. “Are you…?”

Ian gave Mickey that smile again before pulling his phone further so that his face didn’t occupy Mickey’s entire phone. Ian was lying naked on a bed in a strange room, lazily stroking his dick.

“The fuck Ian?”

“Got home from work, no one was home and- ah fuuck.” Ian moaned.

“Shit.” Mickey muttered, eyes fixed on Ian’s penis.

“Mickey.” Ian whined.

Mickey quickly locked the door and stripped. He sat on the edge of his bed and started stroking his dick which was already so fucking hard from watching Ian.

“Fuck Mick, use the thing already.” Ian suddenly snapped.

“Fucking pushy.” Mickey muttered while he was getting up to get some lube.

“I’m so fucking near.” Ian said.

“Then stop fucking touching yourself.” Mickey said while he was squeezing lube out onto his fingers.

“But Mick…”

“Ian.”

“Fine.” Ian begrudgingly detached his hand from his dick.

Mickey slowly lifted his feet onto the bed and slowly pushed his finger in.

“I wanna see!” Ian said when he saw Mickey’s face all scrunched up.

Mickey rolled his eyes and grabbed the phone stand that Ian gave him. He placed it on the floor with his phone and he sat in front of it and resumed fingering himself.

Once Mickey felt he lose enough, he grabbed the dildo and looked at it.

"So, is this like life size?" Mickey asked.

Despite being horny as fuck, Ian couldn't help but laugh. "Close."

Mickey nodded. "Not bad."

Ian rolled his eyes.

Mickey looked at Ian on his phone and smirked. He licked the tip of the dildo, keeping his eyes locked on Ian's.

"Fuck Mick."

Mickey put his lips around the tip and slowly pushed the dildo into his mouth. He kept sucking the dildo until it was all slick with his saliva. He pulled the dildo out with a pop.

"Mickey." Ian moaned. 

Mickey smirked. He liked this. He liked Ian looking all vulnerable and helpless. "Don't touch yourself until I say so."

"Okay, okay, okay. Just put it in already Mick."

"Now?"

"Mickey." Ian warned.

Mickey chuckled. "Alright alright."

Ian waited.

"Hang on, I just gave this thing a fucking blowjob, did you wash this before sending it over?"

"Mickey fucking Milkovich! I swear to god-"

Mickey chuckled. "Alright, alright." Mickey jerked his dick a couple more times then moved to stick the dildo upright onto his floor. He made sure to check if Ian could still see him then he positioned himself on top.

Mickey felt the tip against his hole and slowly lowered himself wincing. 

"Mickey, shit." Ian gasped.

"Don't fucking touch yourself, Gallagher."

Ian whimpered quietly.

Mickey lowered himself slowly onto the dildo. It's been so fucking long since he had something bigger than his fingers. Once he has bottomed out, he took a couple of breaths before lifting himself and sinking once again.

"Fuck." Mickey breathed.

"Mickey I swear my balls are gonna fucking explode if you don't let me touch my dick." Ian complained.

Mickey ignored Ian and started speeding up. His moans getting louder and louder.

"Fuck. You're so hot Mick. I wanna feel your ass on my dick."

Mickey went faster still.

"I want you to feel my dick so deep and thick fucking throbbing inside your ass."

Mickey moaned.

"Mickey I'm so near. Can I touch myself now, please?"

Mickey concentrated on the images in his head of him riding Ian's cock.

"Mick please I'm so near."

Mickey felt the orgasm approaching quickly as well.

"Mickey." Ian pleaded.

"Okay." Mickey breathed slamming onto the dildo.

Everything that happened afterwards was a blur. Mickey came so hard that some of the come landed on his face.

When he got up and looked at his phone, all he could see was the ceiling.

"You alright there?" Mickey chuckled.

"Hhnrgh." Ian answered back.

"Call me when you feel better." Mickey chuckled as he told Ian.

"Ughnnhhm." Ian answered back.

Mickey hung up the phone. Before he could head to the bathroom, he heard Iggy yelling.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME COLLIN? MICKEY EVEN FINISHED BEFORE YOU?!"

"Told ya, Ig. Pay up!" Mandy celebrated.

"I want half of whatever that is!" Mickey yelled through the door.

"Bite me!" Mandy yelled back.


	13. Chapter 13

Ian's head was pounding so badly.

He vaguely remembered visting Lip's dorm and there were some naked girls involved but that's as far as his memory can reach. The headache he had was preventing him from thinking straight so he just sat up and massaged his temples.

He sighed in relief when he realized that he was in Lip's dorm room.

He grabbed his phone from the night stand and winced when he saw 8 missed calls from Mickey.

He called his boyfriend immediately.

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?" Mickey yelled.

"I'm sorry. I was in... Fuck. I don't even remember. I'm in Lip's dorm now though." Ian frowned when he realized that he wasn't wearing any clothes.

"Jesus Christ." Mickey muttered. "You know how many worst-case-scenarios my head has come up with? Shoot me a fucking text once in a while, let your goddamn boyfriend know you're alive."

"It's only been a couple of hours, Mick." Ian answered distractedly as he looked around Lip's room. There wasn't anyone there. He ran his hand through his hair in concentration. What the fuck happened?

"A couple of-" Mickey took a breathe to calm himself. "Ian, the last text I got was a shitty 'Just got off the bus' yesterday afternoon. That was 15 hours ago."

Ian froze. "Are you serious?" That couldn't be true. He remembered...

He remembered drinking. A lot. He remembered Lip picking him up from the bus station and bringing him to the dorm where a party was in full swing. He remembered downing drink after drink and he vaguely remembered Lip saying that he was-

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.

He remembered Lip saying that he was better off being with someone he can touch.

He remembered a guy.

Ian froze as he prayed so fucking hard that nothing happened between his last memory and right now, where he was completely naked on his brother's bed.

"Ian?" Mickey sounded worried. "You okay? I know you hate it when I ask but you took your meds, right?"

"Fuck." Ian muttered as he slapped a palm against his forehead. He got up off the bed and found his pills in the pocket of his discarded pants. "What day is it?"

Mickey sighed. "Thursday. You take them all except the big red one and the little white one."

Ian nodded as he opened the container and picked out the ones he had to take. He walked to Lip's mini fridge and grabbed a bottle of water to take his pills with. "Fuck." Ian muttered after he was done.

"You good?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good."

"You're still an asshole, you know?"

Ian looked down at his chest and saw scrath marks, there was a tender spot on the back of his head and one of his wrists was bruised. "I'm sorry." Ian muttered, tears slowly filling his eyes.

"Hey woah, it's cool." Mickey quickly answered once he heard Ian's voice shake. "It's cool, Ian. I mean I can't fucking expect you to be attached to your phone all the time."

Ian angrily wiped the tears from his eyes. "Look, I just gotta sort this shit out, okay? I'll call you in an hour?"

"You okay though, right?"

"Yeah, Mick. I'm good."

"Alright. I love you." Mickey said softly.

Ian winced. "You too."

Ian hung up and sat on the edge of the bed. He looked at his dick checking to see if there were any signs that he had sex last night.

He stood up and gently touched his asshole checking to see if it felt more tender than usual, it didn't.

He picked up his clothes so he could get dressed but he couldn't find his underwear anywhere. He walked to the dresser, grabbed a pair of Lip's and put them on along with the rest of his clothes from last night.

The guilt was still heavy in his stomach but as long as there was nothing to confirm his suspicions, he decided to just ignore it.

~

Mickey frowned.

Ian seemed shaky.

Mickey got his phone from his pocket and googled the medicine that Ian was taking. He was reading through the list of the effects and side-effects when he heard someone yell his name from outside his window.

Mickey got up to open the window and saw Jake.

"You do know that our house comes equipped with a front door, right?"

Jake chuckled dryly. "After all this years, Mandy still freaks me out."

Mickey frowned. "You okay?"

Jake shook his head. "Can I come in?"

Mickey opened his window wider and stepped back to let Jake inside.

Once they were settled in, Jake on the couch and Mickey on the edge of his bed, Mickey spoke. "You okay?"

"It's my mom."

"What happened?"

Jake let out a really heavy sigh. "She's in the hospital."

"Yeah? What for?"

"Cancer."

"Shit." Mickey watched as Jake slowly deflated.

"Yeah, apparently she's had cancer for a while. Every time I ask if she's okay, she tells me I got nothing to worry about. I ask Sam what the matter was and he told me that mom was just under the weather."

"Fuck."

"Yeah, fuck. I saw it. I saw my mom getting weaker and weaker but I figured since everyone was acting like there was nothing wrong, then she must be okay."

Mickey got up to sit beside Jake.

"They had to bring her to the hospital this morning. It's getting worse." A few tears escaped Jake's eyes.

"I don't know what to say man." Mickey whispered.

Jake chuckled. "You know what the old Mickey would've told me?"

Mickey didn't like where this was going. "What?"

Jake sat up, wiped his tears and did his best grumpy Mickey impression. "Suck it up you little pussy. My mom died with fucking needles sticking out of her goddamned arms and I turned out okay."

Mickey smiled. "I don't sound like that asshole."

Jake's smile stayed for a bit then it slowly disappeared. "You know what the worst part is? All the cons we pulled, Sam and I split the money down the middle. Apparently Sam's been giving his half to my mom for medical bills. They never tell me this shit. I was off buying dumb crap while my family was pooling all the money they got to pay for medicine that I didn't even know my mom fucking needed!"

Mickey put his arm around Jake's shoulders and moved to accommodate Jake's head leaning on his shoulder. "You were always their baby. In their head, they were protecting you. They might not have known that shit were gonna get this bad."

"Well, it did get really bad. And they were all acting like they fucking expected it while I'm here breaking down."

Mickey rubbed his hand up and down Jake's arm.

"How's Ian?" Jake asked, subtly wiping his tears on Mickey's shirt.

"You don't wanna hear about my crap right now, man."

"No, I do. I actually really do. I need the distraction."

Mickey sighed. "He's been acting weird. He got his medication changed again a couple days ago and he's been acting really strange."

"What's he taking meds for?"

Mickey felt oddly guilty. Like it wasn't his secret to tell. "Uh... He's bi-polar."

Jake nodded. "Happen a lot?"

Mickey thought about it before answering, "Yeah, sometimes."

~

Ian frowned.

It was the second time he tried to call Mickey and he still wasn't picking up.

Ian looked around campus and sighed in relief when he finally found Lip.

"Hey Lip!" Ian yelled, jogging towards his brother.

"There he is!" Lip yelled back, standing up from the spot on the grass where he was seated.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Ian asked.

Lip grinned and stepped away from the rest of the people he was sitting with. "You okay?"

"What happened last night?"

Lip chuckled. "You don't remember?"

Ian shook his head.

"Jared must've not been that good then." Lip said.

Ian's heart stopped. "Who the fuck is Jared?"

~

Jake and Mickey spent the next hour on the couch leaning against each other, talking about Jake's mom, Ian and the occasional random crap that usually finds its way to their conversations.

Then suddenly, Mandy bursts into Mickey's room, phone against her ear.

"Mickey, why the fuck would you even steal a nice ass phone if you're not gonna fucking use it."

"The fuck you talking about?"

"Your fucking boyfriend is calling me cause you won't answer your motherfucking phone. The fuck are you doing here?" Mandy yelled once he spotted Jake.

"Stop being so fucking loud." Mickey yelled back.

"Jake." Mandy said into the phone.

"Yeah?" Jake asked Mandy.

"I'm not talking to you asshole, I'm talking to Ian. Yeah Ian, Jake's in Mickey's room."

"Stop fucking talking to him." Mickey said.

"Then fucking call him." Mandy said back.

Mickey rolled his eyes and called Ian with his phone.

"What's Jake doing in your room?" Ian asked.

"He's going through some shit, needed someone to talk to, you okay?"

"Oh yeah?" Ian sounded pissed. "And his ex was his first choice? The first person that pops into his head was you?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Ian?" Mickey spat back.

"There's nothing wrong with me!" Ian yelled.

Mickey was pissed, so fucking pissed at what Ian was implying. He was about to just give Ian a piece of his mind. How fucking dare he. How dare Ian fucking insinuate that Mickey was cheating on him when it was Ian who fucking disappeared after arriving at a fucking college frat party not even letting Mickey know where he was or-

Mickey stopped when he felt a hand on his thigh.

Mickey looked at Jake.

'Relax.' Jake mouthed.

Mickey frowned.

'It's not worth it.' Jake mouthed once again.

Mickey closed his eyes and counted to 30.

"Mickey?" Ian said quietly. "Something's wrong."

Mickey's eyes flew open. "Are you okay?"

"No."

Mickey frowned when he heard Ian crying through the phone. "What's wrong?"

"I don't feel well."

"Maybe you should call the doctor."

"I don't want to hang up." Ian whispered.

Mickey slapped Jake's thighs silently asking for his phone. "What's your doctors number? I'll make the call for you."

"Don't hang up!" Ian panicked.

"No, it's okay. I'll use Jake's phone."

"What the fuck is he still doing there?" Ian asked, immediately getting angry.

"Ian."

Ian sighed and gave Mickey his doctor's number.

Mickey made the called, scheduled he visit and nodded as Jake awkwardly left through the window to give Mickey some privacy.

"The fuck is up with you Ian?" Mickey asked gently.

"I don't know." Ian muttered. "I get these stupid mood swings. Like I'm happy then I'm mad then I'm horny then I'm crying. I don't know what's happening to me."

"Meds don't work?"

"They work for like five minutes then I go crazy again."

Mickey sighed. In the past few months, there were days where he just wanted to hug Ian. Like he really really really just wanted to hug him. But it has never been as bad as how he felt right now. "Fuck." Mickey muttered. "Sorry I can't be there or whatever."

Mickey was barely audible but it was enough to ignite the guilt settling in Ian's stomach. Fresh tears came from Ian's eyes. "Something happened but you can't be mad."

Mickey froze for a second. "What?"

Ian sighed. "You can't interrupt me until I finish, okay?"

"Kay."

"When I got to Lip's dorm everyone was either drunk or on their way to being drunk and I just took my meds so I felt extra good and I figured I could take a couple drinks."

Silence from Mickey.

Ian sighed. "So a couple drinks turned into a lot of drinks and well, after the meds stopped working, I was drunk and... Mick, there was a guy."

Mickey still stayed silent.

"I can't remember what happened. I just woke up in Lip's dorm, naked. I don't even remember the guy." Ian said, praying silently that his voice remain steady.

"You done?"

"Yeah."

"Fuck." Mickey muttered. "Just let me, let me deal with this crap, okay? I'll call you later."

"Mick? Are we okay?" Ian whispered.

"I don't fucking know Ian!" Mickey started to yell but he paused and took a deep breath. "We're okay." Mickey said, more to himself than to Ian. "We're okay. Just take your pills and show up at the doctor's later. I'll call you later."

"Okay." Ian said. "Sorry."

Mickey didn't answer.

"Mick I lo-"

"Don't. Don't say it."

"But Mickey."

"I said don't, Gallagher. Don't use that. We say that when we mean it. Not like this."

"Mick-"

"Can you just fucking stop and fucking listen to me just once."

Ian closed his eyes as tears fell from his eyes. "Okay, okay. Call me later?"

"Yeah." Then Mickey hung up.

Unshed tears made Mickey's eyes too blurry. He wanted to yell and scream and get fucking mad but he couldn't. Ian's emotions were fucked up as it is. He didn't need to add more crap for Ian to worry about.

He needed Ian to get to his appointment and get his meds fixed and put his head on straight. Then they'll talk.

Until then, Mickey just had to wait.

~

Ian focused his attention on his feet.

One foot in front of the other. He'll be okay as long as he just focused on that. He was on his way to his doctor.

He sent Mickey a text, letting him know and Ian was happy enough with the 'Okay.' that he got back.

Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot.

~

Mickey dropped his gun to the side and sat on the cold floor of the abandoned building.

He looked at the cardboard cut out that he was using as his target.

It was some promotional crap that the old grocery store threw out. It was a cut-out of some dark-haired man modelling a bottle of mouth wash.

Mickey pretended that that was the guy Ian slept with as he shot bullet after bullet through the head.

It was kind of therapeutic.

Mickey ran his hand down his face and breathed.

Ian didn't mean for that to happen.

Ian is sick.

Ian needed help.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Mickey quickly picked up the gun and shot towards his target at random.

The bullet went perfectly through his cardboard crotch.

~

Ian jumped for his phone when it rang.

It was a Saturday night so the house was eerily quiet.

After the visit to the doctor, Ian went straight home before drinking the pills.

It gave him the shakes and made him sleepy but at least this seemed to work for more than five minutes.

"Hello?" Ian greeted, oddly breathless.

"Hey. How was the doctor?"

"Good. I got new medicine."

"Any weird side effects?"

"I just get shaky and a bit sleepy every time I take it."

"That okay for your job?"

Ian frowned. He didn't even think of that. "I'll call the doctor tomorrow and ask if it's a permanent thing."

"Okay."

"How was your day?"

"S'okay. Iggy got a new girlfriend."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, she's here. Mandy hates her and she's being passive-aggressive about it."

"Maxine's there?" Ian asked, momentarily distracted.

"You know her?"

"Yeah, Mandy told me. Iggy made Mandy pick out his clothes before they went out for dinner a while ago."

"You and Mandy talk a lot, huh?"

"Nah. I just called to ask her how you were doing."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I told her-" Ian took a deep breath. "I told her what happened and she got all over-protective."

Mickey scoffed.

"Yeah, she said that if you weren't talking to me then she wouldn't either." Ian's voice was sad and Mickey heard that loud and clear. "And she said that if she was you, she would've dumped my ass the moment she found out."

"Hey, hey." Mickey said when he heard Ian cry.

"Are you gonna?" Ian asked through the tears.

"No. No, we're okay." Mickey deflated. He wanted to talk about it. He wanted to get angry and cuss Ian out and maybe even punch the idiot a few times. But he couldn't. Not when Ian was like this. "You didn't want him, right? I mean it's the bipolar that did it, not you, right?" Mickey asked quietly.

"Of course not, Mick. I just thought that for once, I could drink some beer with my brother and be a normal person instead of being a weird basket case. I just thought I could have one normal night where I have fun."

"You kind of did that though." Mickey said.

"Mickey, I'm really sorry."

Mickey ran his hand across his face. This wasn't a battle he wanted to have. Mickey gets that now. With Ian's condition, things are a bit different and he had to treat things differently as well. Mickey sighed as he swallowed all the anger and hurt and suspicion. He can deal with all that shit another time. "We're okay, Ian. Promise."

"Fuck." Ian muttered.

"We're okay. As long as you still want me and as long as you take your meds and as long as you don't sleep with anyone else, we're okay."

"You're not mad?"

"Oh I didn't say that. I'm mad. I'm mad as all fucking hell. But," Inhale. Exhale. "under all that anger, I still want us to be okay."

Ian sniffled. "I love you, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

~

Ian wiped the tears that were freely falling from his eyes. They were okay. They were fucking okay. "I thought you really were gonna break up with me."

Ian heard Mickey chuckle through the phone. "If you did that shit stone cold sober, your ass would've been dropped so fast you'd be in China by now."

Ian chuckled. "I'll take note of that."

Mickey was amazing.

Ian has always known that but right now, Mickey was a fucking superhero. Ian knew Mickey's temper. He's witnessed Mickey going off the handle for things that wouldn't really matter to anyone else. But now, now that this happened and this was how Mickey chose to handle it, fuck, Ian was gonna make sure to never mess up ever again.

"I love you so much, Mickey."

"You already said that."

"I know."

Ian frowned when he heard his phone beep. "Hang on." He told Mickey. Ian looked at the screen and saw Mandy calling. "Mandy's calling me." Ian said.

"The fuck?" Mickey muttered.

"Wait." Ian swiped to include Mandy into the line. "Hey Mandy, I was talking to Mickey, what's up?"

"The fuck you doing calling him, right now?" Mickey said.

Ian had to smile. Mickey was his grumpy little man again.

"I know fucker. I heard you guys were okay again." Mandy whispered.

"Where the fuck did you hear that, bitch?" Mickey said.

"Through your fucking door. Anyway, you need to shut up for five fucking minutes, asshole. I need to talk to Ian."

"What's up?" Ian asked before Mickey could say anything else.

"You will not believe what that Maxine did." Mandy said, still whispering. "She's been running back and forth getting everyone beers like it's her own goddamn house."

Ian chuckled. "She's being nice."

"She's trying to kiss everyone's ass! Jesus fucking Christ. These assholes have the worst taste when it comes to dating." Mandy whispered.

Ian heard Mickey scoff.

"Even Mickey?" Ian asked.

"Still undecided about that." Mandy said. "Mick, you good?"

"No." Mickey breathed.

Ian's heart stopped.

"I'll be okay though." Mickey said away from the phone.

"Okay." Mandy said before hanging up.

"Mickey?" Ian asked.

"I'll text you, okay? There needs to be an eye witness just in case Mandy decides to gouge this chick's eyes out for throwing away the empty beer bottles or some stupid shit like that."

"Okay. I love you." Ian said.

"If you keep saying it that much, it's gonna get old real quick."

"Really?"

"No, not really. Love you too." Mickey said before hanging up.

Ian held the phone against his chest as he laid back down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling, smile on his lips.

Mickey is perfect.

After a few minutes of complete silence, Lip came tumbling into the room. "Hey Ian." he slurred.

Ian sighed. He knew he had one more shit to fix but he hoped it didn't have to be this soon. "Hey Lip." Here goes nothing, though. "About that guy, Jared, you think I can talk to him?"

Lip's face scrunched up in thought. "Jared?"

"Yeah, the guy I slept with last night." Ian murmured, not really looking forward to reliving that night but he knew he had to know for his sanity's sake.

"Oh!" Lip said bursting out in laughter. "Didn't I tell you that was a joke?"

Ian shot up off his bed. "WHAT?"

Lip kept laughing. "Nothing happened, Ian. You threw up on yourself after two bottles so I had to bring you to my room and take off all your clothes so you won't mess my bed up. Was pretty drunk myself so I might have scratched you and bumped your head and shit. Sorry."

"Motherfucker!" Ian jumped off the bed ran after Lip. "You're a fucking asshole. You have any fucking clue what I've been through cause of your stupid joke?!?!?"

~

Mickey bit his lower lip to keep the laughter in as he watched Mandy rolling her eyes while she watched Maxine attempting to 'straighten up' their living room.

"Hey, you okay Mands?" Mickey asked.

Mandy quickly sat up straight once everyone's eyes were on her. She smiled a painfully fake smile. "I'm fine."

Mickey chuckled.

He then felt his phone vibrate. It was a text from Ian.

Ian: What's the best way to murder someone?

Mickey: roofy overdose


End file.
